Poison
by DianaRoman
Summary: Harleen is going to realize that losing her job is not what she needs to worry about most.
1. Chapter 1

**Poison**

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_Chapter One_

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Harleen Quinzel was currently being subjected to Arkham Asylum's annual fundraising party. Where all the elites of Gotham gather to act like that give a single damn about the people who are admitted to the mental hospital. Of course every able bodied staff member was required to attend this grand ball to present the staff as more than just babysitters of insane criminals.

Harleen hated how they all looked down on the inmates. How they all looked down on the doctors for working with the inmates. It was a job, an honorable job. But they didn't care. If it didn't give them a spotlight they would never care.

Harleen had been working at Arkham for over four years by now, for four years she had to be subjected to this same game that Gotham socialites loved to play. One would think that when you work with the most exhausting group of individuals known to mankind you would be just a little more tolerant.

But Harleen wasn't a very tolerant person. With the inmates, they couldn't help being the way they were, she felt bad for them. For people like Alexia Cobett? She had to grin and bear it. This shit only happened once every year. And she wanted to kill herself over every single time.

"Oh, Osman!" Alexia suddenly shouted to someone behind Harleen. Harleen cringed at the sound, especially when the people around them looked at the woman with disapproving looks. "Harleen you must meet Osman, he's really such a doll." Oh, Harleen doubted that.

"Alex! Good to see you." The man greeted Alexia with a kiss on her check. He turned to Harleen and a look of recognizing passed through his face. This confused Harleen, she had never met this man before but somehow it seemed he knew who she was.

"Harleen," Alexia began to introduce the two. "This is Osman Thomas, a very talented lawyer. Osman, this is-"

"Dr. Quinzel!" Osman Thomas greeted her with a firm handshake. This threw Harleen a bit off her game since most of the men she had met tonight had all greeted her with a kiss on her fingers. Obviously trying to get a look at her cleavage. "You are Dr. Quinzel correct?"

"Osman! You're scaring the poor girl." Alexia interjected, seemingly just as confused by Osman's familiarity as much as Harleen was.

"Oh, terribly sorry. But, you are Dr. Quinzel, yes?" He asked for the second time. Suddenly Harleen was wishing she wasn't Dr. Quinzel.

"Yes, I am." She gave him a pelite smile. Alexia looked even more unbalanced when Osman gave Harleen the biggest smile she had ever seen on a man. Well, maybe except one...

"I've wanted to talk to you for a long time." Harleen's smile slightly faltered at that statement. She realized Osman's hand had been clutching her for a very long time. When she pulled her eyes down to their linked hands he finally decided to let go.

"You wanted to talk to me?"

"You worked with the Joker, that's something to talk about!" Ah.

It seemed word had somehow gotten around to who exactly worked with the Joker. The asylum had never really gave an official statement on which doctor was on Joker's case since they always seemed to change every week. But since she had been with him the longest everyone just referred to her as his psychiatrist.

Well, former psychiatrist.

"When I heard the Joker broke out from Arkham," Osman pauses, shaking his head a little. "I just knew I needed to talk to the person who sat opposite from him almost everyday. All the other doctors tell me that was you."

Why? What was so curious about Harleen. Did he think she had somehow been in the know of his escape? Far from the truth. She had been just as surprised as anyone. No, Harleen was probably more surprised. Before he escaped the Joker had seemed perfectly fine. She thought they had an understanding and was willing to go through what ever needed to happen to make his time at Arkham easier. But in the end, it seemed like he had never wanted to be comfortable.

"I wanted to know, what's he like?" Osman finally asked. Alexia sighed, taking the opportunity of a passing Gothamite to speak to as her way out. If only she could take Harleen with her.

"You're going to have to be more specific, Mr. Thomas. The Joker was many things, you couldn't really just pin it all on one thing."

"But you you agree he is a psychopath, yes?" Osman was still giving that overly friendly smile and it was starting to make Harleen uncomfortable. Everyone who had asked her about the Joker so far would just mention him in passing. Terrified to even talk about him. Especially since his escape last month, everyone was on their toes about what he would do next.

"That's a very large umbrella term, Mr. Thomas. Like I said, he had many problems. I couldn't possibly get into them all now." Harleen was hoping this would finally get the slightly older man off her back. But Osman was apparently a determined man.

"Oh, I have more than enough time to discuss him with you. To be honest these parties are so drab, but having interesting people around makes it all up." He gave her a wink with a slight smirk on his playing across his face. It made the slime alarms in her body go off almost instantly. She thought maybe if she was lucky someone else would notice Osman and rope him into their conversation. However, an even better savior appeared.

Solomon Arkham, Head Administer and owner of the asylum, decided to finally take the stage at that moment. Harleen breathed an internal sigh of relief when Osman immediately turned his attention away from her. She stepped back a few feet away from him to make sure he wouldn't make any moves as the lights dimmed.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the 34th annual Arkham Asylum Charity Ball." The older man began. Solomon Arkham was the oldest living member of the Arkham lineage. His oldest daughter, Carolina Arkham, stood off to the side of him while her husband and adult children lingered in the crowd.

Harleen could describe her relationship with the man as 'on thin ice'. Ever since the Joker had escaped him and the rest of the board had been hounding her about her role. They believed she had somehow convinced him to leave. Maybe suggested ways on how to best get out. Out of all the staff he had encountered during his escape, the Joker hadn't killed Harleen.

But there was no evidence suggesting she had been involved other then being an unwilling hostage. They couldn't fire her and they knew it. So making her job much harder than it already was, was the next best thing.

"Today we are honoring the legacy and reputation that our lovely institute has been able to uphold time and time again. Today we honor the staff that has saved thousands of lives with their compassion and thoughtfulness. Today we honor the inmates…" His speech would likely just go on and on.

Another reason to hate these balls. The higher ups would go on that same stage and explain over and over how they loved the asylum. How all they were trying to do was help people and get them to be normal functioning people. Harleen could see Alexia Cobett next to her father, whispering in his ear with hushed laughs.

None of them actually cared about the inmates. They only did this to make it look like they were above the others who didn't attend. That they were more aware of the issues surrounding Gotham City. But in reality, it was most likely their managers and publicists who told them that if they attend, they would be seen in a better light by the public eye. They would dominate just enough to brag about later and forget all about the damaged island. Going back to their ordinary higher class lives.

Usually Harleen didn't care about these types of things. But the last three weeks had been torture on her mental health. She had hoped to be able to skip the ball this year, but her superiors wouldn't hear it. She didn't want to be polite for one night. She just wanted to go home and snuggle with her cat.

"For now," Solomon continued. "I'd like to honor some of the doctors. These men and women have sacrificed so much to cure our patients. The best among them should be recognized for what they do." Carolina handed her father a stack of cards. Harleen doubted her own name was one there, even though she had achieved things at Arkham that had made even the older doctors proud.

She wasn't angry just disappointed. All her hard work would never be seen if those around her weren't accepting of a younger woman showing her spine. Harleen has shown her superiors time and time again that she was capable. Somehow just one unforeseen mistake was enough to convince them of her incompetence.

She hoped that they would bother to honor the legacy of the deceased staff at least.

"The first doctor I would like to hono-" The sound of a loud bang rang throughout the room. Before Harleen or anyone knew it, Solomon grabbed at himself and fell onto the stage. Carolina and other venue staff members hurried over to assist him. The crowd however had descended into a chorus of screams. The partygoers were quick to search out the exits but found that they all were blocked by men dressed in all black wearing clown masks.

"I don't know about being a doctor!" A voice shouted over the chaos. A hush fell over the crowd as the shooter stepped away from the shadows to reveal himself. "I'm just a clown, Solomon, but it's the thought that counts."

"It's the Joker!" Someone shouted, leading the crowd into another roar of chaos. Harleen covered her ears. She watched as the Joker gave the crowd around him a big smile, motioning to the men around the room.

The masked men raised their guns at the Gotham elites and shouted, "Get on the ground!" The crowd immediately complied, not wanting to get shot like the older man on the stage. A few good hearted men tried to stand up to themselves. However, they only found themselves punched by the Joker's henchmen in response. "Don't be a hero." Harleen heard one mutter as he lead a group of people close to her.

"What do you want you bastard!" Harleen turned and saw Carolina Arkham standing on the stage. Her father was still slumped, being attended to by the venue's staff. Harleen wasn't sure where Solomon had been shot. But the fact that he seemed to not be moving at all was not a good sign in her book.

"What does anyone want my dear?" The Joker began to monologue. "I want a lot of things. Let me give you the list." Oh god he was really going to monologue wasn't he.

"Just spit it out clown!" Carolina shouted. Harleen has to give it the woman some credit. She had some real balls to be able to yell at the Joker like this when the man had just shot her father.

"Dr. Quinzel." Someone suddenly whispered from beside her. She turned and saw the smiling face of Osman Thomas looking expectantly at her. She stared at him in confusion, how the hell could this man possibly be smiling right now. "This is your opportunity. Please, go!" He pointed at the armed men around them before Harleen realized what he was trying to say.

He thought she could get the Joker to back off!

Someone next to Osman who had been eavesdropping looked at Harleen with wide eyes. Possibly recognizing her name as one of the Joker's psychiatrists they scooted closer to the pair. Harley recognized her as Mrs. Regan O'Neill, an older socialite who Harleen remembered seeing on TV sometimes growing up.

"Dr. Quinzel," She suddenly began. "Please, if there's anything you can do, please, stop this man." She whispered with desperation in her voice. Harleen looked back at Osman who's expression was falling the longer she did nothing.

Harleen looked over at the Joker who was busy taunting Carolina, waving his gun around with that stupid grin on his face. Harleen wanted nothing more to sink into the floor. She could easily say fuck them and do nothing. But how would that look for the Asylum? Did she really care about losing her job that badly?

...yes she did.

With a long sigh she gave Osman a final resigned looked, squeezing Mrs. O'Neill's hand for comfort. She turned back to looking at the Joker, mustering up the last bit of her courage before slowing standing up to her feet. The henchmen closest to her was startled and pointed his gun right at her.

"Get back down!" He shouted, catching everyone's attraction. Including the Joker's. She watched as he turned to his head and made eye contact with her. Her heart seemed to freeze and she suddenly didn't feel as brave a she did a moment ago.

The Joker she had always interacted with was always restrained. In the end, Harleen always had control over the situation. At least she did physically. She always knew she was safe when she was in his presence. Before she had cameras, chains and orderlies keeping the Joker in check.

This was different. This was so, so different.

The henchmen yelled again, this time pressing the barrel of his gun against the side of her head. "I said get the fuck back down or it's a round through tha-" But he never got to finish that sentence. The sound of a different gun going off rang throughout the room, making everyone scream in despair as they watch the masked man fall down. One gun shot through his stupid head.

Harleen stared at his lifeless body for a long moment. She'd seen a dead body before. She'd seen so many dead bodies before. But this time? This time was different. It made her think of back at the Asylum, when she'd seen the trail of bodies Joker had laid in his wake when he had escaped. Orderlies and doctors alike lining the halls until he had pressed her against the he gotten to a certain someone's jail cell...

She finally turned away, bringing her attention back to the Joker who had a shit eating grin on his face. The people around her were scrambling to get away from the dead body. The two other henchmen around her rounded them up farther away from the dead man and the frozen Harleen.

She continued watching him with a nervous hint in her eyes. This was stupid, so stupid. She shouldn't have gotten up, she should have let Osman Thomas be disappointed all he wanted. He should've let Mrs. O'Neill live with fear in her heart for however long this took. She wouldn't have gotten a guy who was just doing his job killed.

"Joker." She finally said. "Please nobody has to get hurt."

What in the actual hell was she going to accomplish her. Absolutely nothing. What, she begs the Joker not to kill everyone and then what? He'll probably do it anyways, just because he can. He doesn't need his former psychiatrist trying to convince him otherwise. He probably thinks that this very moment was the highlight of his whole night.

'My former psychiatrist that I talk philosophy with is trying to get me to not kill everyone, how hilarious!' That's exactly what he was thinking.

"Please. Just let everyone go." He just kept staring at her and it was really starting to get on her nerves. Just say something damnit!

Maybe it showed on her face, but the smile on the Joker's face slowly melted away and she was suddenly worried if this really was the wrong thing to do. Then almost at that same moment she felt a hand land on her shoulder.

Harleen turned, worried that another goon was trying to make her back off. Instead she was even more stunned when she saw it was Osman Thomas standing beside her. The older man gave Harleen an encouraging smile, squeezing her shoulder in a comforting way.

Suddenly it wasn't the Joker who was the crazy one, it was Osman. What the hell did the man think he was going to accomplish doing this? Harleen turned back to Joker when it suddenly hit her. He wasn't mad because she was scared. He was mad because Osman was in his way.

"Mr. Thomas, I need you to sit back down." Harleen whispered to him.

"I felt bad for pressuring you, you need a man to support you." He whispered back. Oh for the love of God. Harleen really didn't need this kind of bullshit right now. He took a step in front of her. Harleen started thinking about if there was any possible way that the floor could suddenly collapse and kill her right then and there. She wondered if the goon next to her would just shot the damn gun at her.

"You need to listen to her, she can help you!" Osman started to plead. Harleen grabbed on to his suit, hoping to convey to him that this was the worst idea he could have in his entire life. The Joker still hadn't responded. The people around them were looking between the madmen, his goons, Harleen and Osman. Trying to figure out if everything going on would turn out good or not.

But Harleen knew it wouldn't. She could see it in his eyes. He was mad and whatever he was thinking wasn't a good thing. She had to Osman out of the way.

She squeezed his left arm with both hands, turning him to the side so he was facing her. "Mr. Thomas, please. I can do this by myself, you are only making the situation worse!"

"Grab him!" Harleen jumped. The Joker had shouted a command at one of his boys who rushed forward and grabbed Osman by the neck. Pulling him away from Harleen, Osman struggled against the man until another henchmen tackled him to the ground.

Harleen watched them in shock. Osman was an idiot but she didn't want the fool to die. However he attention was immediately diverted when an arm quickly wrapped around her neck, a gun being pressed against her head.

"Well, I think we can all agree that was a very dumb decision. Can't we doc?"

•••

"Who the hell do you think you are!" Dr. Cavendish suddenly shouted. Harleen jumped at the sound, not expecting the good doctor to have an outburst like that.

She watched through the security cameras as Dr. Cavendish stood up from his seat and hurried out of the room. The other doctors around her flew up from their seats to meet him in the hallway. Harleen stayed behind for just a moment, watching the screens as the man in the room stared back at her through the camera.

"Did you even hear what he just said to me!" Dr. Cavendish shouted at the others. Harleen finally got up from her seat and ran it to the hallway. Dr. Cavendish was being blocked from the exit by her fellow doctors who were all trying to get the man to calm down.

"We all heard doctor, but please, you cannot leave like this." The senior amongst them, Dr. Redfern, pleaded. Cavendish however seemed to be steaming mad. The session he had with the Joker affecting him much more than they believed.

"No you didn't hear! He spoke about my daughter. My daughter!" Cavendish shouted. "How the hell would he know she's graduating, huh? Go on, tell me doctor!"

Redfern backed up a little at his outburst. The orderlies by the door watching them with a wary look. Harleen felt bad for Cavendish, but honestly the man should have expected something like this. Every doctor that's spoken to the Joker has had their whole life laid bare before them through his words. Harleen included.

She had been his doctor for the past four months. To her, the progress she had been seeing was massive. He wasn't particularly opening up about his past, but he was having civil conversations with her. Talking about his beliefs and his outlook on life. She had gotten more out of him than any doctor had those first two months.

But the higher-ups were impatient and apparently Harlem's sessions weren't progressing enough at all. They said she was just wasting time and if her tactics didn't change they would take her out. To show how serious they were, they hired Cavendish.

Cavendish was a well respected psychiatrist from Keystone City that Harleen's superiors had hired specifically for the Joker case. They said that the doctor would work with Joker for two weeks. If nothing progressed, she would get him back. But if Joker responded to him, she would be taken off the case.

However Harleen was sure that Dr. Cavendish wouldn't make it to two weeks.

The first session had been rough. Joker had refused to talk to Cavendish at all until the last few minutes when he had went on about someone he had killed once. Cavendish has been a bit unnerved, but stated he was used to crazy men trying to get under his skin. Obviously the Joker was unhappy about the new arrangement. Especially since no one was telling him how long it would be for.

The second session went exactly the same way. Except that time the Joker had actually asked for Harleen. Cavendish of course gave him a vague answer, saying that she was unavailable unless the situation changed. Joker had given him a long, long look before looking away again.

The higher-ups were frustrated. Cavendish was supposed to be giving them results, but they just found themselves back to square one. But the old hags were stubborn and ordered Cavendish to do the next four sessions. If nothing changed, Harleen would be given the case back.

Harleen had hopes nothing changed. It made her giddy in a weird way that he didn't respond to Cacendish at all. It made her proud that she was the first and only doctor to really get the Joker to talk.

Cavendish had told Harleen in private that he didn't really want to be there. He was terrified by the Joker and found that whatever Harleen was talking with him about was at least getting him to talk. So Harleen threw him a bone by giving him some advice that was wholeheartedly unprofessional on her part.

"Maybe if you ask about me." Cavendish has looked at her a little weird, but he seemed to get an understanding as the question was waving in the air. The Joker had asked about her in their first session. Wanting to know where his regular doctor was. When Cavendish had answered that she was 'unavailable for the time being' the Joker had merely stared. He hadn't spoke to Cavendish since.

That third session, the good doctor started out with his usual questions that Joker didn't answer. In the last ten minutes Cavendish finally asked something that piped the man's interest.

"Before I go, I wanted to ask one more thing of you." The Joker didn't respond. Just like he hadn't for the last twenty minutes. The doctors in the monitoring room were so bored by this point that they all had bets on if Harleen would get the case back or not. It was nice when most of them had said she'd probably get it back, but a few others were still skeptical.

"I wanted to ask you about Dr. Quinzel, your former psychiatrist." Finally Cavendish had taken her advice. It was stupid, she knew, and he probably wouldn't get a response with it. But they had to try something.

Unfortunately for Cavendish, what the Joker said next during the ensuing conversation wasn't what he was looking for.

For the first time since he'd started with Cavendish, the Joker pulled his head up from looking at his lap to stare at the doctor. Cavendish felt a sense of victory with this. Maybe he could finally get somewhere. "What did you say?" The Joker asked in almost a whisper.

"I asked about Dr. Quinzel." Cavendish watched as the Joker clenched and unclenched his hands. Stretching his fingers out every time, making the chains on his wrist rattle. With the same unmoving stare.

"No, no, no, no, no doc. What was your whole...question." He rephrased. He continued staring at Cavendish who suddenly felt like he had done something wrong. He realized that he must have worded the question wrong. But if he changed it would the Joker notice?

"I wanted to ask you about Dr. Quinzel, your-um…your psychiatrist." He started again. The Joker lifted a finger, pointing it at the good doctor.

"Ah. Now she's just my psychiatrist." He said with a slight smile. "A moment ago you said 'former' psychiatrist." Harleen couldn't see where the conversation was going. What did matter? Former, present, Cavendish was his doctor for now, why did her title matter?

Cavendish clearness his throat, unnerved by the Joker's sudden willingness to speak. However, he could see that if he didn't pick his next words carefully things would be disastrous. "A mistake. She's still just unavailable. We're not sure for how long."

The Joker looked away from Cavendish for just a moment. He instead turned his eyes to the camera in the corner of the room. It was just a second, but Harleen swore she could see a humorous glint in his eyes. "You're not from Gotham are you doc?" He asked, striking the good doctor with his stare once again.

Cavendish shifted. This wasn't where he wanted the session to go, but if it got the Joker to finally speak to him? What the hell. "No."

"That's what I thought." Joker stopped slouching in his seat. Straighten his back he rested the palms of his hands on the table. Cavendish watched all this with a critical eye. "You live somewhere else, don't you doc? You work somewhere else too I bet. You're not regular asylum personnel from what I can tell."

Cavendish wasn't sure how to respond to that. The Joker could just be pulling that shot out his ass. He had been informed that a good chunk of the asylum doctors had seen the Joker before Harleen got his case. As far as the Joker knew, Cavendish could've just been a new hire. Cavendish however had taken too long in answering the Joker because the madman decided that he could continue.

"Honestly doc, I don't know why you would waste your time here." He gave the man an even bigger smile. Before breaking out into a small laugh. Cavendish jumped a little in his seat. Not expecting the sudden outburst. When the Joker finally calmed he gave the good doctor a knowing look.

"I think your daughter would much rather want you to come back home." Cavendish's blood ran cold. There was no way the Joker knew Cavendish had a daughter. He could just be guessing. Cavendish wouldn't let him get one up on him.

"Sadly, I do not have any children." Cavendish decided to go with. The Joker tisked however.

"Oh but you do. You have a lovely little wife and just one child." He stated. He continued to smile at Cavendish who stared at the Joker with hesitation. "A daughter who would love for you to come back home." Cavendish watch as the Joker kicked at scars from inside his mouth. That same knowing smile on his lips.

"I mean, it isn't everyday that you graduate from the top university of Keystone City."

Somehow that had been the final straw for Cavendish.

"Doctor. please-"

"No! I'm done!" Cavendish shouted. "From what I've seen Dr. Quinzel was doing a perfectly fine job keeping him down. He never attacked her with information about her family like that!" That wasn't true but Harleen could see what he was talking about.

The Joker had actually figured out that Harleen had a deceased mother, an estranged father and two younger siblings that she hadn't spoken to in years. He hadn't attacked her about it, but she had still been unnerved by his apparent knowledge about her life.

"I'm leaving. I don't care about the consequences, we are done!" Cavendish was able to push the other doctors away. Walking quickly down the hall, most likely on his way to Solomon Arkham's office to tell him off. Harleen wished him luck.

Redfern and a few of the other doctors followed after him, calling out his name as they went. The remaining doctors muttered to each other about him having a weak spine and trudged back to the monitor room.

"If it isn't my favorite shrink." She heard someone, say from behind her. She turned, seeing it was the Joker being escorted back to his cell by the orderlies. "I knew you were around here somewhere."

"Keep walking freak!" One of them shouted, pausing the Joker down towards D Wing. The Joker watched her as passed with Harleen staring him down as well. She refused to be intimidated by him like the others. The Joker eventually had to look away when he turned down a hall away from the interview room.

"I think the incident speaks for itself."

Harleen was sitting in Redfern's office. The last three hours being the most draining of possibly his entire career. Cavendish did in fact call Solomon out, letting the older man hear his thoughts albeit along with some pretty colorful words. He then proceeded to leave the asylum stating that he would be going back home. Solomon then called Redfern into his office, giving the doctor a piece of his own mind. Thirty minutes later Harleen was called into Redfern's office.

Her boss gave a big sigh. He had his head resting on hands. Harleen had never seen the man so defeated before. "You're back on the case." He finally said.

Lifting his head up, he gave Harleen a stern look. "But listen here." He pointed his finger in his direction making Harleen laugh on the inside. She'd never me intimidated by this man. "The higher-ups aren't happy. You need to talk about something, anything that will get him to talk about his real identity."

Harleen rolled her eyes. Knowing that they would just be going in circles at this rate. "You know he lies about that stuff. Hell, he even said his DNA isn't the same as when he was born. They guy won't tell the truth." He probably never would either. She didn't care about his real identity at this point, we'll not as much as she should at least.

"You have to give them something Harleen. Anything! They will get off with your back if you do." Redfern, though Garleen loathed to say it, was right. Even if he lied, just a little something would get Solomon and all her other superiors to leave her alone.

So when the time came for the night shift crew, Harleen took the opportunity to go see her patient.

It had been a long time since Harleen set foot into D Wing. Besides being the Joker's psychiatrist, she didn't have a reason to ever come here. She never visited the Joker, so this would be the surprise of a lifetime. The guard waiting by the D Wing entrance gave Harleen a smile. Tobias Garner usually guarded the entrance of the Asylum when Harleen would be leaving. She was a little surprised to see him at the D Wing entrance.

"They got a new guy, training him at the entrance." He stated. Tobias offered to walk Harleen to Joker's cell, but she knew he would get into trouble for leaving his post. "You be careful then." He closed the door, leaving her to confront the Joker.

It didn't take too long to find his cell, there weren't too many patients in D Wing. It was only for the real dangerous people that ended up at Arkham. Sometimes the doctors used it as a punishment for lower level wing members. D Wing patients never got to go outside and weren't allowed windows. A man could really go crazy here.

"Joker." She watched as he turned around in his bed. It was dark in his cell, but Harleen could still see his surprise at her appearance. He jumped up from his bed. Even though there was a whole cell door between the two of them she still felt a little nervous at the prospect of being alone with him.

"Oo, if I didn't know better I'd think this was a special kind of visit." He said with a laugh, leaning against the glass door that separated the two of them. Harleen shook her head.

"We need to talk." The smile on the Joker's face fell. Realizing this wasn't exactly a social call, he leaned away from the door. Sitting back down on his bed facing her.

"Go on."

"Listen, we can't keep having the same conversations we've been having for the past few months." She began. She Joker was still on his bed and Harleen wondered if he was even listening to her. "My superiors aren't happy with the…lack of progress we've had. We can't keep going on at this rate."

"What are you trying to say?" He finally asked after a few moments of silence. She couldn't outright tell him that if he didn't confess about who he was he'd be transferred to some other place where they'd force it out of him.

"Just make sure the next time I see you, you make it interesting."

She left him with that. Turning away from his cell door and walking back to the entrance. She knew what she said was dangerous, but she hoped Joker would take what she said to heart. Or where he kept his feelings she didn't know.

Tobias told her to have a good evening when she left, Harleen wished she had as much confidence about that as him. She knew that for the rest of the night she would worry over her conversation with the Joker. She felt like he might do something dramatic in their next session. He was always chained to the table and floor, but his verbal attacks where just as effective.

She finally made it back to her office after running into a few doctors and nurses who stopped her on the way. Taking off her lab coat, she slumped into her desk. Today really had been a long day. After the Joker session Harleen had been in session with a man who was totally convinced that his puppet had his own personality. Poor man believed he was being tortured emotionally by it and committed himself to the asylum for help.

When Harleen has asked if simply getting rid of the puppet would help him the man had shook his head. "He always comes back." He had said.

It reminded her that while a good portion of the asylum's patients were violent man and woman There was also a good portion of them who were here for actual help. Who truly believed there was something wrong with them. Some of them were cured and sent right back out into regular society. The rest never left the asylum and many ended up dying there.

It made her think about the Joker. There was a chance he would never get cured. He seemed very fixed on his ideals and morals. It was likely the Joker would die in the asylum. Well, not Arkham Asylum. But he would die in a facility before he even tried to associate with the rest of society.

She opened her top drawer to take her cell phone out. She had gotten a call from her grandmother. The only person the Joker hadn't figured out was still apart of her life. The woman hadn't left a voicemail so Harleen decided she would call her back in the morning. Below that was a text from her friend.

We still on for Friday? Selina has written. Harleen sighed. She hadn't gotten together with he close friend for almost a month. Knowing that she had to to have some interaction with people outside of the asylum Harleen sent a text back saying that she would still show up. It was Wednesday, so she had more than enough time to mentally prepare herself to actually go out and try to have fun.

Harleen set her phone down, turning to her computer. On the screen where emails upon emails about the asylum. She stared at them for a moment, contemplating for a moment if they were worth dealing with tonight. She tugged at the clips in her hair,

A loud thud and glass breaking suddenly sounded from behind her door. Harleen jumped, looking up at her office door for a long quiet moment. No other sound was heard but she knew someone was there. A shadow passed under her door, stopping right in front of it. They gave a few knocks on her door. They then gave her door knob a try before realizing it was locked.

"Doctor Quinzel?" The person said. It was the voice of a woman. Harleen sighed, shaking her head at her stupidity. Someone must have just dropped something.

"Yes?" She answered.

"I'm sorry to bother you," the woman started. "But may I ask for your help. I flipped my cart with some medication and the glass is anywhere." Harleen quickly stood up. She was probably embarrassed that Harleen had heard her and wanted to let the doctor know everything was okay.

When Harleen unlocked and opened the door however, her thoughts began to shatter.

The woman in front of her gave no sound as the Joker pulled the knife from one side of her throat to the other. Some of her blood squirted out from her neck, covering a part of Harleen's shirt in blood. The Joker let the nurse go making her fall to the ground. Harleen watched as the nurse struggled for a few seconds before slumping in the pool of her blood.

"Hiya doc." The Joker greeted. Harleen started to shake as she looked past the nurse to the cart that she had actually flipped. The Joker must have ambushed and scared her. A knife was then thrust into her face, making Harleen step back in shock.

"It's not nice to ignore someone when they're talking to you." He commented. Harleen almost, almost started crying. She had just witnessed the Joker kill someone and now he was going to kill her too.

"How-how…"

"How'd I get out?" He asked for her. He tipped his head back and gave out a deep laugh. The kind he gave when he found the conversations they had together particularly entertaining. Harleen though saw her opening.

She quickly dashed out her door, past the laughing madman, running down the administrative hall. He could hear his laugh die down and hurry after her. Harleen quickly headed for the staircase, grabbing at the door handle. She tried to open it but was stunned to find out it was locked. She kept shaking it before realizing the Joker would catch up with her if she didn't hurry.

She turned to go the other way to the next nearest staircase. But there standing behind her was the Joker. He grabbed at her. Turning her around so her back was to his chest. He pointed the knife at her eye, making her tremble as he left it hanging there.

"Now, doc. I don't want to kill you, but if you don't stay right where I want you, I won't have another choice." He said gravely into her ear. Harleen wanted to shake him off. But she knew better to try something so stupid.

"We're going to take a little trip. Come on." He gripped her forearm, dragging him along through the hallway. They retraced their steps back to her office where the nurse's body still lay discarded. Harleen couldn't bare looking at the poor woman again. Instead she focused on the broken glass as they passed by.

Harleen started thinking of ways to escape. If she could just get far enough away from the Joker. Or maybe incapacitate him, she could save herself. These thoughts were dashed when they entered the administration buildings lobby and she saw the dead bodies of the receptionist, another doctor and a guard. All of them at lash marks on their necks, all laid in a pool of their blood. It made Harleen want to throw up.

They hurried out the door where the body of another guard laid in wait for her. How many more people did he kill to get to her? Why was he trying to get to her so bad? They ran through the asylum's main courtyard where Harleen thought he would immediately head over to the front parking lot. However, he quickly ran the two of them over to the B Wing building.

At the entrance laid another guard, but this one didn't seem to be dead. On the side of his body was a keycard that would open the door to let them in. The Joker pushed Harleen towards the man. She looked back at him in shock, confused on what was going on.

"Grab the card." He commented. She nodded, looking back at the man. When she crouched down to grab the card, she priced the man's chest rising up and down. He wasn't dead. Harleen felt relief but she suddenly wondered what happened to him and why they Joker hadn't killed the guard.

She grabbed the card off the ground. Turning to the door, she swiped it through where it quickly unlocked for the two of them. Stepping inside the building she could feel the sound of something being hit on the building's wall. She spun away and almost screamed at the sight in front of her.

The Joker had bashed the guard's head against the building. "No loose ends." He muttered, pushing Harleen inside B Wing.

He grabbed her wrist, dragging her down the long hallway towards the back exit. She clutched the card in her hand, knowing she would need it when they eventually got to the door.

"Joker! We had a deal!" An inmate shouted as they passed. Harleen looked over at the cell, but in the dim light she couldn't tell who it was.

"Don't worry my boy, I'll get you out of here soon enough!" The Joker laughed, tugging Harleen along. She could hear the inmate continue to call after the Joker, but he ignored him.

Stopping at the exit door, Harleen quickly used the key card to open the exit door. Stepping out, she watched as a man quickly jogged up to the two of them. He wore a guard uniform and was looking at her with guilt in his eyes. It was Tobias Garner.

"Tobias." She breathed. Out of all the things she'd seen tonight, the sight of Tobias was probably the most shocking. He'd seemed like such a nice and outstanding guy.

"You ready boss?" He asked instead. The Joker finally let go of Harleen looking around the back parking lot.

"Let's go." He finally stated. The Joker turned back to Harleen who shrank back a bit at his stare. If he was going to kill her, she'd prefer he do it now.

"Well it's been fun, doc." He chuckled. Harleen looked at Tobias who looked almost uncomfortable as she felt scared. She felt the Joker's hand fell on her shoulder, making her jump and look back at him. "I'll see you around. Promise." He let her go. Stalking off towards one of the cars in the lot.

Was that it? Was he really letting her go alive?

Harleen suddenly realized that Tobias was still standing next to her. She looked back at him and saw the guilty look was still plastered on his face. Oh no. The Joker wouldn't kill her, Tobias would.

"Tobias." She began to plead. "Please, you don't want to do this." She was looking at him, begging him to not kill her. Tobias signed however, giving Harleen another guilt filled look.

"Sorry, Dr. Quinzel." He stated before lifting his arm hitting something to the back of her head. Harleen fell unconscious, landing on the asphalt with a loud thud. Tobias looked at her for a moment before running off to the nearby car.

Opening the driver side, he settled himself in. He watched as the Joker found the duffle bag next to him in the backseat that had the clothes he came to the asylum with in. Giving Dr. Quinzel one last look through his side mirrors, Tobias started the car up.

"Wasn't Dr. Crane suppose to come along as well?" Tobias had grabbed the man's items too. But when he had seen Joker only leave with Dr. Quinzel he was a bit confused.

"Change of plans Toby." The Joker stated. "Had to grab the good doctor instead." Tobias hummed in response, not really understanding.

"Was there a reason it had to be Dr. Quinzel?" He dares to ask. Tobias knew the woman was Joker's psychiatrist, but he was under the impression that the Joker didn't care about her. Hell, he had left her alive in that parking lot.

"Oh, it's all part of the plan." The Joker rolled down the car's window. He laughed as he threw the asylum's jumpsuit out the window. He continued to laugh even after they had left the narrows behind.


	2. Chapter 2

**Poison**

* * *

_Chapter Two_

* * *

When Harleen was younger, she had a problem with a boy in her second grade class. She had been told that when boys tease girls it was usually a sign that they liked them. However, Harleen knew for a fact that he didn't like her. Boys who like girls weren't nasty and aggressive or fucking disgusting to them. That's what Harleen's mother had told her teacher and principal when the boy had thrown a rock at Harleen's head.

She had to stay home for almost a month. Getting stitches in the back of her head with scars that lasted for years. When she was finally able to come back to school, the boy never interacted with her again and soon, he moved away. She'd never forgot that incident. It followed Harleen for years, knowing that was the worst thing that a person had ever done to her.

Having a knife thrusted into your face and a man knock you out unconscious could change that perspective.

Before she realized she was awake, she became aware of the searing pain in her head. It wasn't like when she had to get stitches. Back then she was put to sleep and given painkillers to dull the pain. This time there was no painkillers and Harleen hadn't been put to sleep.

Harleen blinked slowly. Trying to regain any one of her senses. She could faintly hear the sound of police sirens. She felt relief, but only for a moment. They hadn't gotten there in time and the Joker was probably long gone.

She groaned. The dull pain in her head was turning into a terrible ache and she prayed that it wasn't a concussion. She tried reaching for the spot on her head, but touching it made it hurt even worse. Whatever Tobias had hit her with had worked like a damn charm. She sat up, her head beating in protest the whole time.

Harleen heard someone shout and soon she had flashlights shining in her direction. She held up a hand to shield her face, but realized her glasses were missing. She spotted them a little ways away. But like hell was she going to retrieve them in her state.

The officers were closer now, some turning off their flashlights to speak to her. "Are you injured, Miss?" One of them asked. Harleen almost gave him a 'duh' look. She instead nodded her head. She winced though, grabbing at her head. "Can you tell me what happened to you?"

Harleen sighed. "The Joker...escaped."

They didn't take Harleen back through the Asylum. Not after she told them the Joker had killed personal. An officer took her to the ambulance, she didn't have a concussion luckily. But her head would feel like shit for about a week. She sat silently on the ambulance as she watched the officers go in and out of the main building. Every few minutes she would hear the sounds of the officers on their radios announcing that they had found another body. From what Harleen could tell there were three more bodies besides the ones she'd seen.

Another three people who the Joker saw as 'loose ends'. But why hadn't he killed her? Harleen had taunted him hadn't she? She had made him do this. But maybe it wasn't that simple. Joker had killed so many people, but it did seem like he had a plan. Albeit a shitty and messy one.

Someone must have eventually alerted the higher ups on what was going on. A car was pulling up the long stretch of road faster than the legal limit. She could see a few of the officers looking at it with creased brows, but a senior officer had waved them away. The car had finally stopped, not parking just stopping where it had landed.

She watched as Solomon Arkham and his daughter, Carolina, stepped out of their SUV and hurried to the nearest detective. She couldn't listen in since they were so far away, but she could see that Solomon was beyond angry. He kept jestering wildly with his hands, his face turning red. Harleen could almost laugh at the sight, but nothing about this situation was really laughable.

Carolina Arkham suddenly turned her head towards Harleen. They watched each other for a moment before she heard someone take a sharp intake. A nurse close to her was watching with tear filled eyes as the officers started rolling the body bags out the main building. Harleen felt her heart stopped. Two of those people had died right in front of her eyes. Harleen had did nothing then and she couldn't do anything now.

Harleen felt like a coward. The Joker was a man, that made him biologically stronger than her. But she still could've fought. She still could've done something to stop his rampage. But no, she just went along with him like a stupid fool. Eight people were dead because she had to open her big mouth and be selfish.

Harleen could feel the tears welling up and she let them fall. This was all her fault.

"Doctor Quinzel?" Harleen jumped. A detective was standing next to her. He looked like he didn't want to interrupt her crying session, but he also had to do his job. "My is Detective Matt Sullivan. If I may ask you a few questions about what happened..." He was waiting to see if it was a good time. Harleen rubbed at her eyes, wiping her tears away and suppressing the rest.

"Ask away Detective."

Sullivan opened the notebook in his hand, pulling out a pen from his pocket at the same time. "I'll make this quick. What were you doing passed out in the back parking lot?"

Harleen thought the answer was fairly obvious, but to get the full report from the victim was always better. Especially if your the only surviving one. "The Joker had kidnapped me. After leading him through the Asylum, he had his partner knock me unconscious." Harleen saw the detective pause a little after she spoke. Those two sentences held so much information, while also giving him almost nothing at all.

He looked at her again, seeming to finally notice the blood splatter on her clothes. "He had kidnapped you?" Sullivan asked. "Could you elaborate on that?"

"I was in my office around... midnight, i believe. I heard in ambush a nurse outside my office, but he had forced her to state that she needed my help to pick up some broken glass." Harleen paused for a moment.

It was a little hard to think about that nurse. Harleen didn't even have the chance to save the poor woman. The Joker had sliced her throat as soon as Harleen opened her door. She watched the life drain from her eyes, never to look upon anyone again. Harleen hadn't even known that nurse. She didn't know if someone was waiting for her to come back home. Waiting for a presence that would never return.

"When I opened the door, he sliced her neck with a knife. Right in front of me." Sullivan was writing it all down. This time not pausing.

"We found the nurse you spoke about outside an office. That was your office then?" He asked.

"Yes. Detective."

"What happened after that, if you don't mind." Harleen almost smiled. He was trying to be kind, but Harleen felt like she didn't deserve it.

"I tried to run away. The elevator would've taken too long so I tried the stairwell. It was locked, I tried to go to the other stairwell, but the Joker had caught up to me." Harleen could almost feel his arm still around her. She had been scared out of her mind, she thought those were her last moments. It should have been her last moments. "He forced me out of the building, past the other... bodies. Outside he led me to the B-Wing building. A security guard was passed out in front of it. Joker killed him too. The building has a door which leads to the back parking lot." Harleen finally smiled. Sullivan gave her a puzzled look. "An exit door in the patients wing. Kind of a bad idea don't you think?"

"You opened this door for him?" Sullivan asked.

"Yes. Both doors were key card protected. When he led me outside his accomplice, hit me in the back of the head. I blacked out and woke up when the police got here."

Sullivan wrote that down. Harleen wondered if he was writing everything word for word. He must have a bad memory. "Were you familiar with this accomplice. Did you know them at all?"

"Yes. He's-he was the guard for D-Wing. His name is Tobias Garner" Harleen stated. She suddenly thought back to when she saw him standing at guard. "I'm sorry that's wrong." She said. The detective looked up at her, arching his brow in a silent question.

"Someone else is usually the guard for D-Wing. Tobias is the guard for the main entrance." She thought back to what he said to her. What his excuse was on why he had been there. "He said they were training someelse at the main entrance and had put him there."

Suliivan's pen was flying across the paper. He looked confused and frustrated at the same time. "He told you this, when?" He finally asked.

"Before the breakout." Sullivan looked at her. He had a confused look like he was trying to figure out the right question to ask next.

"At the main entrance?"

"No, at D-Wing."

"What were you doing at D-Wing?" The tone of his voice had changed. Harleen couldn't tell why.

"I went to speak to the Joker." She answered. He didn't write that down. He kept staring at her with a glint in his eye.

"Alone?" Sullivan asked. Harleen saw the accusation thy was suddenly forming in his eyes before he looked back down at his book.

"...yes?..." She answered hesitantly. You don't look at someone like that unless you thought they did something wrong. He couldn't possibly believe she had something to do with this, could he?

"At what time?"

"Around six in the afternoon."

"Can I ask what you spoke about or is that confidential?" He asked without looking at her. Harleen knew what he was implying. It was rude as hell and Harleen was too close to not telling him anything. But she knew that would only cause more problems.

"The Joker has been unresponsive in his sessions recently. I went to go ask him to try and be more engaged."

Sullivan rapped at his notes a few times. "Do you know why he's been 'unresponsive'."

Harleen sighed. "I'm his psychiatrist. However, the facility has recently asked a more experienced doctor to help out. The Joker refused to speak with him."

"Do you know why?"

Of course she knew why. But telling the detective would only make her seem even more guilty. But she lied her, another doctor could tell him something else. 'No point in lying Harleen'. "He wasn't me."

Sullivan jerked up at that response. He was surprised that the doctor would give an answer like that. Especially on who they were talking about. "You're telling me the Joker has…becomes attached to you?"

"I wouldn't say that, detective." She deflected.

"What would you call then, Doctor?" He asked a little irritably. Harleen looked away, not quite sure how to answer that. Patients getting attached wasn't unusual. It's just no one expected the Joker to get attached is all.

She couldn't do this. She had to get out of this situation. Off of this island. She just wanted to go home and not be interrogated by Carolina Arkham who was still staring her down. Harleen turned back to Sullivan, still waiting for her answer.

"Detective, please just give it to me straight. Do you suspect me of helping the Joker or not?" Sullivan took a step back at that. He wasn't expecting her to ask him that question. It was sort of satisfying in a weird way, but Harleen was ready to go home.

"No, I don't."

"Then is it ok if I go home." Sullivan gave her a hard look. He may have said he didn't suspect her, but detectives lie when they want their suspect to slip up. Harleen wouldn't slip up though. She hadn't helped the Joker, she was an unwilling participant.

"You're not really in a condition to be driving, ma'am."

"Can I get one of your officers to take me home?"

Sullivan sighed. He couldn't keep her against her will. Harleen was not going to answer anymore questions until he believed she had nothing to do with the Joker's escape. She refused to be seen as a suspect in the eyes of the law.

"The Joker's cell is located in D-Wing, Doctor. The doctor's offices are located on the other side of the island. I just want to know why the Joker would take such an indirect route to get to you." Sullivan tried you explain.

But it was too late. It didn't matter what he tried to say. It only mattered what she said. "Detective. I'd like to go home."

Sullivan rapped at his notepad again. Harleen wondered if it was tick. He'd don't it a little when he had talked to Solomon and Carolina, and now he was doing it with her.

"I'll get you someone to take you home, Doctor."

By the time Harleen returned to her apartment she was more than tired. She shrugged her jacket off, leaving it on the floor in front of her door. Taking her shoes off in slow motion before getting on her knees and laying silently on the ground. She'd never done something like this before. None of her days working for Arkham Asylum had been as stressful as the past twenty-four hours had been.

Having your patient escape while killing everyone in sight would do that to you.

Harleen opened her eyes, staring at the space between the couch and the floor. She realized it had been a long time since she'd cleaned under the couch. It was dusty as hell and had scraps of trash she had completely forgotten about. It made her think of Arkham's security. Old, forgotten, thrown away. Dead.

When was the last time Harleen had eaten? She had eaten breakfast that morning. Stopped by the diner and got a little something to cheer her up. She was too preoccupied with the Cavendish situation to worry about lunch. Then the Joker…..she didn't get to have dinner.

So here she was, on her living room floor. Tired, hungry and downright frustrated with the soft dull pain she could still feel in her head. She'll need to get the pain pills from the bathroom. She could see her toilet if she laid her chin on the floor. That would mean getting up though. She wasn't looking forward to that. But if she got up now to take the pills she could hurry down the street to the dinner and get some late breakfast. The sooner Harleen did that, the sooner she'd be passed out on her bed.

Harleen sighed, finally pulling her body off the floor. No point in wasting anymore time.

She walked into the bathroom, not bothering to turn on the lights. Opening the cabinet, she took out the ibuprofen and took out two pills into her hand. Closing the bottle, Harleen looked up at the mirror. She looked a complete mess. Her ponytail had gotten messy and her glasses were filled with dirt marks. Worse, the left glass was cracked and she hadn't noticed the whole time until now.

"Great, just great." Harleen muttered. She pulled the band around her hair off and let her golden locks fall on her shoulders. She could put it back, but not having it tied but her head feel better. She turned from the mirror, walking out the bathroom she screamed. The pills dropped silently on the carpet floor, while Harleen stared at her intruder.

"Doctor Quinzel."

"What the hell are you doing here?" Harleen nearly shouted at the Dark Knight. Out of everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours, the last thing she wanted was the Batman breaking into her home. He was standing next to an open window and she cursed herself at her stupidity. She never locks that window.

"I'm here to ask a few questions." He finally answered.

"Questions?" Harleen was going to have a mental breakdown. Of course he would have questions for her. He's the one who caught the Joker. But Harleen was far past the mood to answer questions. Especially after what happened with Detective Sullivan. "Listen here, I've already spoken to a detective. Why don't you ask him your questions?"

"There are some things that only the victim would know." Oh Harleen bet.

Batman hadn't moved from his spot in front of the window and Harleen hadn't moved from her spot either. After a long silent moment, Batman spoke again. "Doctor, I've seen the security footage. The Joker's cell is across the entire facility from your office. He came specifically to you." Not this again.

"I've already gone over this with the detective. I don't know why he came to me. I'm his psychiatrist. That's all I have. Please, do not suspect me like they do." The last thing she needed was the vigilante thinking Harleen had anything to do with the Joker's plans. She didn't know a damn thing and she would like it if everyone believed her.

"Don't misunderstand, I don't believe you work with the Joker. I just want to know why he felt the need to kidnap you." Batman pulled a tablet out from…somewhere, Harleen wasn't too sure. There was so much shit on him. She wondered how he got anywhere covered from head to toe like that.

"Before I give this to you, there's something I need to ask. When the Joker led you through B Wing, who did he stop to talk to?"

He watched Harleen with a critical eye as she thought about it. But she couldn't remember. She knew it was too dark to see who it was and she couldn't quite place their voice either. "I'm sorry, the lights were practically off. I didn't see who it was." The Batman frowned.

"Is there anyone in there who would cause any type of scare if they escaped?" Harleen sighed. She thought back to the last time she had went into B Wing. It had to be last week when she visited one of her patients. He had been placed in the back of the three-story building, so Harleen did usually walk past a slew of cells. Most wouldn't say anything, but some of them would throw words at her. Some would even try to have a conversation with her.

Some…no only a few of them did that. It had been new, Harleen mostly dealt with C-Wing patients. But something had changed recently, right? There were patients in B-Wing who usually weren't there. Patients like…

"Professor Crane."

The Batman's posture changed. He was surprised had her answer it seemed like. "You keep Crane in B Wing?" His voice was laced with irritation. Harleen wasn't surprised, Crane was a high-profile patient in a low-level Wing.

"No. C Wing is going through renovations. We had to move most of the patients to other wings. D Wing is too high for Crane. He's not violent, but he can't be out of his cell for too long. So they put him in B Wing." Which wasn't better. Crane was out of his cell for three hours of the day, not including sessions. A lot of the higher-ups didn't like that, Harleen didn't either. But putting him in the confinement of D-Wing would be pushing it, so B-Wing was a compromise.

"Why is C Wing being renovated?" The vigilante continued on with his questions.

It was a simple answer. "Mold." After a patient had complained about a suspicious substance in his cell to a doctor, they found out that mold had infected most, if not all of C-Wing. It had spread so fast and almost out of nowhere.

"No one else you can think of." Batman asked, shaking her out of her thoughts

Harleen sighed. "Most of the guys in B Wing have been left there by family members who couldn't deal with their mental problems. Everyone else is usually there because they went against an A Wing rule and have been sent there as punishment."

It was a hard reality. A-Wing was full of mostly normal people who felt like there had to be something wrong with them. It was usually just mental problems that many ordinary people dealt with. Depression, anger-issues, suicidal thoughts etc.

People wouldn't believe the amount of mothers who came to the asylum begging to take them in. Saying that there must be something wrong, they didn't feel that motherly connection that everyone said they would have when they were pregnant. Saying that they looked at their children and only felt that they had wasted everything. That they could never be happy again. It was common for mothers to feel depressed after having a child. It was common for some of those same women to be depressed if they never wanted children in the first place.

The people in B-Wing were no better. Harleen always believed that if you knew a child would have special needs problem when it was born and you couldn't give it your all? Don't have it. So many of those same children grew up and were taken to Arkham Asylum. The family always promising to come back and never would. Harleen hates those wings. Too much reality for her. The only one halfway competent in either of those wings had to be working with the Joker.

"Professor Crane is the only one Joker could've conspired with." The Batman nodded. Harleen has a passing thought that he really should have a notebook. But maybe he had a listening device instead? Or he had a really great memory.

"Is there mold anywhere else?"

"No. They looked everywhere. It was only C Wing."

"How long has it been there?" He was really concerned about that mold. It made Harleen a little concerned too. Arkham Asylum was old, it was bound to happen. All the Wings were going to get renovated because of this. It would be a pain with the D-Wing patients, but better now then later.

"A month. It was kinda unexpected. The asylum prides itself on its cleanliness. This kind of ruins their reputation." That was meant to be a joke, but Harleen didn't even laugh after she said it. Neither did Batman.

"The detectives reported that you said the Joker had become attached to you."

Harleen shook her head. "No. I said he refused to speak with anyone who wasn't me. That doesn't mean he's attached, it means he's just comfortable with me. Lots of the asylum patients are like that." It has happened to her before and it's bound to happen again. This time it just happened to be the Joker.

"I only ask because this could explain why he kidnapped you. He most likely wanted you to watch him escape."

That shocked Harleen. What did that mean? "He wanted me to watch him?"

"This is only a theory doctor. Nothing to mull over."

But Harleen was going to mull over it. You couldn't just say a serial killer wanted you to see him kill and not expect someone to think about that. It made no sense. Why the hell would the Joker want her to watch him escape. Some kind of leverage? But he hadn't taken her to his head out or anything. He had left her at the asylum. She was safe in her apartment. It made no sense.

He seemed satisfied with all her answers. He lifted the tablet back up, turning it on to whatever he wanted to show her. "It may be hard to watch, but I need you to understand." He held the tablet out to Harleen who looked at him with a warily. She didn't think it was would be that big of a deal, however when she realized it was a security cam feed those thoughts changed. It was the camera of the entrance to B-Wing. She pressed play, watching silently while the Batman watched her reactions.

The video started out perfectly fine. The guard stood at the entrance of B-Wing silently. For six seconds the only thing seen was the guard just doing his job. After those six seconds, the guard moved his head. He was speaking to someone out of frame. He got into a more defensive position and Harleen braced for the moment he was knocked out.

She was shocked to see Tobias come into frame with the Joker cuffed up beside him. The two guards were exchanging words. The guard was apparently confused on why the Joker was outside his cell. Tobias talked to him for a minute. Leaving one hand wrapped around the Joker's arm. When the guard seemed to calm down, Tobias grabbed something from his waistband and swung it at the guard's head.

When Harleen looked closer, she saw it was a handgun. Tobias had, had a handgun! That's what he had hit her with! Harleen felt relieved that he hadn't used it properly when dealing with her.

Tobias uncuffed the Joker. Then he grabbed his key card and opened the B-Wing entrance door. He waited for the Joker to go through first, but the Joker hadn't moved from his spot. It seemed as though he was talking to Tobias, who was listening to his boss carefully. Tobias eventually nodded, he took something from his waist and handed it to the Joker. He walked into the building and left the Joker behind, who walked out of frame. The video ended at that.

"You should know what happened next" She did. The Joker killed seven people to get to Harleen. The eighth would have lived if he hadn't been a 'loose end'. "The guard handed the Joker a knife, which he used to kill seven people."

"Why are you showing me this?" Harleen asked. The Batman took the tablet from her hands and stored it away. Again, Harleen wondered where he had the room for it.

"The Joker had an opportunity to leave the asylum without anyone else getting hurt. He didn't take it. Instead he kidnapped you while killing eight people in the process. I want to know why".

Harleen could tell that the Batman didn't use his real voice when speaking to people. He obviously just made it deeper for some type of affect. But from the tone of his voice, she could see that this event affected him. Those eight people didn't have to die, Harleen already knew that. But they did and Batman wasn't there to protect them.

"I'd like to know too." She eventually settled on. She looked away from him. The guilt was settling in again. She could see the nurse's face again, in anguish for only a moment before she died. No one deserved a death like that. She heard some rustling and she didn't have to turn to know the Batman was gone.

He hadn't asked all his questions, but he seemed satisfied enough to leave her alone. Maybe she had somehow proved she wasn't involved with the Joker. Maybe he realized he wouldn't get the answer he was really looking for from her. Maybe he felt pity for her situation.

All of a sudden, Harleen didn't feel like going to the diner anymore.

* * *

Selina had called Harleen about four hours later. Her phone ringing jolted Harleen awake from the little sleep she had been able to get. She looked at her clock. She had gotten an hour of a dreamless sleep.

Sighing, Harleen grabbed her phone. Swiping to answer her friend's call. "Hello?"

"Harley!" Selina greeted. "I heard about what happened at the asylum, are you ok!" Harleen smiled. It was nice to hear her friend's voice so filled with concern for her.

"I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me." Which was dumb to say, Selina always worried about Harleen.

"They didn't say which doctor he had held hostage on the news. Was it you? Please, tell me it wasn't you!" Selina asked desperately. Harleen knew she couldn't lie to Selina. Especially since the media would figure it out sooner or later.

"Uh…it was me."

The line went silent for a moment. Harleen would've been worried that the line cut out. But she could hear the distant sounds of office work through the other line. "I'm on my way to your apartment."

Harleen jumped out of bed. "Selina, stop! You have a day job. Aren't you there now?" She asked.

"Fuck them Harley! You're more important!" Harleen could almost see Selina's face now. Full of rage and fury, not giving a single shit if anyone heard her words.

"You can think that Selina, but I know for a fact your boss will have a heart attack. You're his secretary." Selina didn't have a comeback for that luckily. Harleen took it as a win. "I'm fine really."

Selina stayed quiet. Debating on whether or not to forget about her boss and go console her friend. But she knew she couldn't walk off the job. At least not today. "You're breaking my heart here Harley." She finally said.

Harleen laughed. It felt good to finally feel something that wouldn't exhaust her later. "I'm off at six, I'm coming over no matter what you say. Got it?" Selina stated.

"Got it." Harleen could compromise on that.

"Love you doll."

"Love you too."

The two hung up. Harleen sighed again. She wondered if she could ask Selina to pick up something to eat on the way. But lookong at the clock confirmed that Harleen wouldn't be able to last that long. It was twelve-noon and Selina wouldn't be getting off for another six hours.

Walking out the bedroom into her living room made her feel cautious. She looked at her window which was closed and locked. She'd learned her lesson at least.

Grabbing the remote on the coffee table, she turned the tv on. It was still on whatever she had been watching the last time she turned it on. But when was that? Harleen felt like it had been so long since she'd even been in her apartment. Arkham Asylum was becoming her at this point.

She looked at her kitchen. She hadn't bought groceries in two weeks. She'd probably have to go down the block to the nearest supermarket. But then what would she buy? Did she want to make dinner or did she want something heated up? Did she even have any clean dishes?

What about the diner?

Well what about it? She never went there in the afternoon or evenings. When she did go it was only for a bagel and coffee to go. She'd never even really looked at the place.

But she was so hungry. If Harleen didn't eat now, she'd probably go crazy.

Turning the tv to a different channel proved disastrous. Harleen should've known that from what Selina had told her. The news was all over the Arkham escape and Harleen felt her blood run cold when she saw the body bags again. She'd almost forgotten about them. God, she'd almost forgotten people had died.

The news was calling out their names. Talking about all the good things that they had done up to that point. Harleen looked away however. It wouldn't be long until they talked about the nurse. Maybe they had already talked about her. Harleen wouldn't stay to find out.

She turned the tv back off. Getting up, she grabbed a coat that was thrown on one of her arm chairs. Taking her purse while tucking her phone inside. She looked at her lab coat that still laid where she had dumped it earlier.

She could see where the blood stains where and Harleen nearly threw up. She grabbed it as well. Hoping to throw it away on her way out.

"It's ruined Harleen! Throw it away!" That's what her mother said.

Harleen had gotten a bloody nose once during a relative's wedding. It had gotten onto the nice white dress her older cousin had picked out for Harleen. Her mother was smart enough to hide from her cousin and any photographers until they returned home. When Harleen had asked about it the next day, holding the gown up to her mother, she had only gotten a stern look in response.

"Nothing I can do with that." But Harleen wouldn't let it go. Her mother had glared, saying it was ruined and to throw it away.

"Blood stains are different. You never forget them. You'll always know." So Harleen had did just that. Taken it out to the garage and thrown it into a bin. A year later her mother would die.

Harleen shook her head. No use in dwelling in the past. She threw the coat inside the bin. Closing it silently as to not disturb the sleeping man next to it. It seemed like everyday she was seeing more and more homeless people on the streets of Gotham. It was getting downright ridiculous. All because of what Crane did in the Narrows.

Crane. Harleen had almost forgotten her conversation with the Batman. She'd have to look into it. She had too.

Joker hadn't taken Crane, she remembered. Crane has said him and the Joker made a deal. The deal must have something to do with the breakout. Joker was supposed to take Crane but he hadn't.

Was he not able to open the door? But Tobias had the keycard. Joker gave Harleen the dead guard's keycard as well. He had ample opportunity to take Crane with him. But he didn't.

Why?

She pulled her phone out. Seeing she had a missed call from her grandmother. Harleen hadn't called her back but could you blame her? When she got into the dinner she would call her. She hadn't heard her grandmother's voice in a while and it would be nice to talk to someone who wasn't high maintenance. Not that Selina wasn't great, but sometimes she could be too much for Harleen.

Her grandmother was the only relative she even talked to anymore. She'd never done anything to make Harleen hate her. Hell, when Harleen had ran away, she'd just gone to her grandmother's house. Everyone knew where she was. They just didn't want to retrieve her.

Walking into the dinner, Harleen wasn't surprised to find that the place wasn't even busy. There were two men seated at the bar. They weren't together. One was seated at the far left against the wall. The other was seated right in front of Harleen. There was a woman a woman cleaning around behind the bar and Harleen could see someone working in the kitchen.

"For here or to go?" The woman asked, not looking up.

For the first time since she'd started coming here she answered, "For here."

* * *

**Only the second chapter but I'm not so happy on how i did it. Anyways thank you To those who reviewed the first chapter. Rely boosted my ego. Till next time friends.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Poison**

* * *

_Chapter Three_

* * *

Oswald Cobblepot sat at his desk impatiently. A cell phone was sitting on his desk, a phone that had been there since the breakout at Arkham. He didn't think he would have been so anxious to get a call, but he couldn't handle the wait anymore.

"Don't touch it." A voice. Oswald looked at his companion with contemptment. Edward Nygma sat in a seat across from Oswald. Staring at the tv on the side wall. On the screen was a local news channel, who like all news channels in Gotham, was currently doing coverage on the Arkham breakout.

"I can't wait forever."

Edward smiled, still keeping his attention on the news channel. "You can and you will. The madman will call when he wants to call you."

Oswald groaned, standing up from his desk. He walked over to a window, looking out at the Gotham Harbor. A few boats were out in the water. Going by slow with groups of people. "I just don't understand why he's waiting so long."

"He probably needs to get to a safe house. Maybe he's in a bad signal area. The day is just starting, Oswald." Edward assured.

"That's just it." Oswald hurried over to stand next to the tv. "It's been hours and all the news has been saying that the Joker broke out. Just the Joker!" He glared at the newscaster who had the same information that they had two hours ago. You could talk about the breakout all you wanted. It wouldn't change the fact that no one knew why it happened, how it played out or where the Joker went.

The Joker had been missing for a good thirteen hours. More than enough time to call and assure Oswald that all was going according to plan. But no, the clown just wanted to play games. It was frustrating to no end. Edward was right however, he couldn't call the Joker. He would have to wait for the Joker to call him.

"When he calls you can ask him all your questions. Just be patient." Oswald groaned again. He went back around his desk and dropped into his chair. On the news channel was a headline stating that the police would be making a statement in one hour. Answering any questions the reporters will ask and hopefully getting some reassuring answers.

When the phone finally rang twenty minutes later, Oswald was quick to answer.

"Did you get him?" He said as his way of greeting.

"Him? Well who would that be?" The Joker said. Oswald rolled his eyes at the obviously dumb joke. He wasn't in the mood and the Joker wasn't physically present for him to pretend to be.

"Don't play games with me. Did you get him or not?" Oswald asked again.

The Joker took a pause. Oswald heard the sounds of footsteps of people murmuring in the background. "Well it's just, when you say 'him', who am I supposed to think of?"

Edward looked Oswald, trying to see what was taking the conversation so long. "Joker, I don't have time for your silly mind games. Answer the question!"

"I can't answer something if I don't know the question."

"Is Jonathan Crane with you or not!" Oswald finally shouted. Edward was shocked and they both could hear the sound of the Joker's laugh through the phone.

"Ozzy my boy, you shouldn't shout like that. Can really mess up your voice."

Edward got up from his seat. "Answer the question clown."

"If you're asking if I grabbed ole' Jon when I escaped the asylum then no, I didn't." Oswald gripped the phone tighter. Taking it off his ear to scream, but deciding against it. He had to remain calm if he wanted to continue this conversation.

"We had a deal." He finally spoke into the phone. Edward walked over to Oswald, silently asking what was going on.

"We still have a deal Ozzy!" The Joker said.

Oswald took one deep breath. It was too early in the day to deal with this kind of bullshit. "No! The deal was that you escape and take Jonathan Crane with you!"

"No. The deal was you help me escape if I help Jon escape." Oswald could feel himself shaking. How dare the Joker think they still had a deal! He couldn't even stick to his side, Oswald time had been wasted! "That was the deal Ozzy and I'm sticking to it."

"How are you 'sticking to it' when you don't have Jonathan Crane." Oswald laughed. Edward could see his companion was on the verge of cracking.

"I did everything for you Joker." He said Before Joker could respond. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to spread mold inside a hospital? Cause I don't think you do!"

Edward could hear Joker laughing through the phone. "You're right! I don't and I don't really care. But just listen to me Ozzy! I have a better way to get ole' Jon out of Arkham while still benefiting the two of us."

"Benefitting?" Oswald shouted. "The benefit was that you got out of Arkham!"

"But I want more Ozzy. I could've escaped without your help. But ole' Jon can't, cause you don't have boys on the inside. But I do, remember?" Oswald pauses. He'd hadn't been able to get a single one of his boys into Arkham.

But the Joker had. He's done it while he was in the Asylum somehow. He had gotten a lot of guys into Arkham. Oswald didn't know how and he was hoping that when he got the Joker out of Arkham the madman would tell him. Maybe even give him the guys.

But the Joker wanted to play games.

"What are you planning?"

Harleen waited a little longer than usual for her grandmother to pick up the phone. She was worried about having to leave a voicemail when her grandmother finally picked up. "Hello?"

"Hey grandma." Harleen looked down at the plate of food in front of her. It had been a long time since she'd had an omelette.

"Oh, Harleen! I had gotten so worried. I was watching the national news and they said the Joker escaped! You weren't hurt were you? Oh lord Harleen. I don't know what I would do if something happened to you. I would just fall over if you had gotten murdered! Maybe this would be a good time to transfer. I know you wanted to work in an asylum but I'm starting to think my intuition was right. I heard Metropolis has some good hospitals, with even better benefits mind you. Star City isn't so bad either!-"

"Grandma I'm fine!" Harleen interjected. She couldn't be too mad at her grandmother for rambling. She was always like this went something important happened. Had to get it all out there before she forgot. "Really, I wasn't hurt. I…I wasn't even at work. I had gotten off earlier."

Harleen heard her grandmother sigh in relief. "Oh thank heavens."

"When I'd heard eight people had died," She pauses. Harleen could almost see the faraway look in her eyes. "Harleen, you know I can't lose you."

"I know."

"When are you coming to visit? It's been two months." Harleen looked up when she heard a sudden sound. It was the waitress, she'd dropped a tray and looked downright insulted that it would land on the floor.

"Soon, hopefully. I should be getting some time off at work" A customer sitting at the bar started to laugh. The waitress gave him the stink eye with a few choice words, but she smiled afterwards. Probably a regular.

"Alright, dear. I know you're busy with your doctor job and all." Harleen almost cringed. She had been very busy and it was getting harder and harder to return her grandmothers calls. Not that her grandmother called her at inconvenient times, Harleen had given her her schedule. It was just that Harleen was shit at following her own schedule.

Another customer walked through the door. This time a woman and a little boy. She hurried him over past the dining area and behind the bar. "So what's been going on?"

"Well your brother finally set the date for his wedding!" Her grandmother said cheerfully. The woman said a few passing words to the waitress before walking into the kitchen. Harleen suddenly thought about why that boy wasn't in school, but of course it wasn't nearly any of her business.

"Oh, tell him I said congratulations." She replied. She'd seen her brother's boyfriend, well fiancé now, picture before. Her grandmother had been excited since the two had seemed very serious about their relationship. Harleen had been a little surprised since she hadn't even known her brother had come out to their grandmother.

But what would she know.

"You can tell him yourself." Her grandmother said cheerfully. "Him and his fiancé have started a registry. You should get them something!"

"Oh, is there a lot of stuff they need?" She asked. She wondered if they had already moved in together. They probably had since they'd been together for four years now.

The woman had come back from the kitchen. She said a few words to the waitress before telling her to go on break. "Not a lot, they already own a home together. Just some extra things they'd like to have around the house. I can send you the link he sent me if you want?" Her grandmother proposed.

Harleen wondered how long the first waitress had been here. This place seemed to open very early. "That'd be great." She answered back.

"Also your sister is pregnant again. She's hoping to have a girl this time."

"Again?" Wow Harleen, that sounded a bit harsh. But it was also true. Her sister had already given birth last year to a second son. Harleen thought it was a little careless of her sister to have so many kids when she could barely afford it.

"Yes, I know so soon. But she really wants that girl." Her grandmother stated. Harleen knee even her grandmother was a little worried as well.

When it had come to Harleen's her parents, they were fortunate enough to have enough money to raise the three children. Harleen's sister was born three years after her and her brother two years after that. Their father had always favored their brother, not that Harleen hated her brother for it or anything like that. Especially not when he had run away to live with their grandmother at fourteen. Three years after Harleen had done the same thing.

But their mother was different. She wasn't particularly sweet on any of them. Rather she had been cold and often times distant. Sometimes Harleen wondered if her mother was like the women in A-Wing. Never wanting children but having them for the sake of a marriage and regretting their decision. Sometimes, Harleen even wondered if her mother had even loved her father.

"She's getting a little desperate." Her grandmother said "Her boyfriend is telling me she's been using some strange home remedies."

Harleen laughed. "A lot of people do that." The second waitress looked over at Harleen, like she was suddenly realizing that there was one more person than usual. "They often don't believe in modern medicine."

Her grandmother made a tsk sound. Like she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "So I've heard, but it's just strange Harleen. It reminds me of when your mother was pregnant with your brother. She used to tell me if she ate a certain fruit enough she'd have another daughter. Told me it worked with you and your sister."

"Then she ended up with a son." Harleen smiled.

Suddenly she could hear a loud commotion coming from the kitchen. She looked up at the bar where the second waitress was looking into the kitchen. She walked inside and the voices only seemed to get louder. The two men at the bar seemed to be unfazed, like they'd seen it before.

"Your father was so happy!"

Harleen was a little stunned by what was happening. Maybe it was time for her to leave. "Grandma, I'll call you back. Something's come up." Harleen said. The voices got a little quieter thankfully, but Harleen knew it was only a matter of time before they got louder.

"Oh, well, alright Harleen. I love you." Her grandmother said.

"Love you too. Bye." Harleen hung up. She grabbed her coffee and drank the rest of it down. She looked at her mostly eaten omelette, suddenly wondering if she should be concerned about what type of ingredients they used. It hadn't tasted bad, but you could never be too sure.

"Ok boys!" The first waitress had come back. "Time to go, get out and go. Let's go, let's go." The two men grumbled but complied. The waitress hurried around the bar and walked over to Harleen.

"Sorry ma'am, we'll be closing early today." She said, the sound of glass breaking was heard from behind inside the kitchen. The two men were walking out, like they'd never heard it. The waitress had a cross look on her face but she'd ignored it too. Harleen guessed that she shouldn't comment as well.

"It's no problem. How much do I owe you?" Another crash was heard. The waitress sighed, giving the kitchen door a quick glance. "Or I can just go?" Harleen offered.

"It's on the house." The waitress said. "Why don't you come back tomorrow? Your food will probably taste a whole lot better then." She offered. Harleen got up, grabbing her things in an almost hurry. She heard something yell something before another glass broke.

"Thank you, I will." She probably meant it. Harleen was definitely not going to be in the mood to make her own breakfast tomorrow. Or the day after. Or the day after that.

She walked out the diner, and just like the gentlemen before, completely ignoring the sound of yet another glass breaking. At first it sounded like plates, but the person was probably throwing whatever they could get their hands on.

Strange, she thought. There was definitely only the cook, two waitresses and the little boy back there. Maybe a manager had gotten mad? But why would a manager start throwing plates?

She probably shouldn't be wondering about it. It wasn't her business and it seemed like it happened often enough. Or maybe things like that happened a lot in this neighborhood. Not that Harleen would notice. This side of town wasn't really the 'take a nice stroll' like other neighborhoods.

Well really, Gotham itself wasn't like that at all.

Harleen remembered when her grandmother had gotten so worried when she'd first moved here. Her grandmother was always so worried about the lot of them. Ever since Harleen's mother had died, her grandmother had always kept the three of them in her sight.

Harleen rubbed at her tired eyes. She really didn't want to think about her mother. But all the talk of death lately, it was practically inevitable.

When she'd gotten back to her apartment she felt like breathing a sigh in relief. It only last for awhile however. She suddenly realized how quiet it was when everything around her was empty. Harleen was surrounded by apartment blocks, abandoned buildings and practically deserted store fronts. In the mornings, the building was usually more lively. At least to her.

The sound of footsteps from above below and the noise of voices from next to her. Usually Harleen would have Gotham Central on. Listening to Clara Oats and Antonio Skye y'all about the daily happenings in Gotham. With Hope Cartez giving the traffic report and Riley Long the weather report. She'd listen to the four of them banter for almost five years, it was a little therapeutic.

Harleen would leave her apartment, sometimes stopping at the diner, and head into work where she would be greeted by her fellow staff members. It had been Harleen's daily schedule for years. Never wavering except for a hiccup here and there. In all that time Harleen had only had one serious boyfriend. Harleen had almost been sure she wanted to be with him forever, but as time passed those thoughts drifted away and so to did the relationship.

It was quiet, way too quiet for Harleen.

She grabbed her remote, turning the tv back on. On the screen was a daytime talk show Harleen had remembered watching back when she worked night shifts. Not that she ever paid attention to what the ladies ever talked about, it had always just been background noise.

But Harleen had nothing better to do. She took a seat on the couch and listened in on their conversations.

"-exactly why they should've put him in Blackgate. The man is obviously not crazy!" Brooke Nial exclaimed. Harleen had recognized her mostly by voice. Brooke has been a prominent voice actress back in the day. Starring a lot of shows Harleen had watched as a child. She wondered if she still did them. "A crazy man does not plan his own escape. I knew for a fact he was lying."

The ladies around her shook her head in agreement. "Well, maybe if we spoke with the doctors they could tell us more." One said, Harleen didn't recognize her. She was an older woman and probably more famous than Harleen would think.

"Another thing, who was his doctor? Why haven't they told us? Don't we deserve to know?" Brooke continued on. Harleen squirmed in her seat. The had asked the detective not to reveal her identity, but it was only a matter of time before that got out.

"The Asylum has the right to protect their employees, Brooke." The woman from before commented. "If his doctor doesn't wanna tell y'all we shouldn't force them."

"I bet they already have him in custody." A different woman said.

"Custody?" Harleen thought the same thing. What the hell did she mean custody?

"The doctor's information would have been leaked by now, honestly. That doctor probably helped the Joker escape and now that doctor is in police custody for it." The other woman around here either agreed or disagreed with her statement. But by the time they settled on the argument and went on to a new segment, Harleen was having a total meltdown.

Custody? By the police? No. She was in her apartment. Did they really think that? Did everyone think that? What about the people at Arkham? Did they think she was guilty? But they knew Harleen wouldn't do something like that. Would they?

Calm down, calm down. They were just talking. They didn't have any information. It was just gossip Harleen! They were throwing out things so people would talk for a little while. It'll go away. It always goes away.

"Hey, so what was he like?" Selina dropped on the couch next to Harleen. A third cup of wine in her hand. Harleen looked away from the movie they had been watching, turning to her friend.

"He?" She asked. Selina had shown up soon after she left for work. Bringing some takeout food like Harleen had asked.

Selina made an annoyed sound. "The Joker!" She explained.

Harleen looked back at the screen. She was hoping Selina wouldn't have brought him up. "He was weird." She said plainly.

"No shit babe." Selina snorted. She took a sip from her cup. Pulling her legs under her body and turning to face Harleen. "But, what was he like?" She asked in a more pointed tone.

Harleen sighed. There really was no way to get out of this. "Intrusive." She began. "He really knew how to exactly get under your skin, you know. It was like he was always trying to find your weakness. It was a little creepy in the beginning, but you can get used to it."

Not like a lot of doctors had gotten used to it. Harleen was the only one who could. Not that she wasn't intimidated by the Joker, but when he got past all the 'I know everything about you' part, he was interesting.

"So you've seen him without the makeup?" Selina asked. Harleen looked at her with a confused expression.

"They've shown pictures of him without it on the news, Selina."

"But it's different in person! What's his real hair color? They've never shown that." Selina insisted.

Harleen thought back. She remembered when she finally noticed that the green had left his hair. They had tried so hard to wash it off, but it just never left. It had eventually just grown away and that's when Harleen had seen his real hair color. W"It's brown. A really light brown."

"Brown." Selina repeated. "I took him for a blonde." She laughed, making Harleen jump a little. She gave a glare at Selina who only kept laughing. "It's just a joke babe!" Selina managed to say. Harleen rolled her eyes.

They stayed silent for a few minutes. Watching the movie Selina had put on, neither really paying attention to the plot too much. "So when do you think Batman will finally catch him?" Selina asked, breaking the silence.

"You think he will?" Harleen asked.

Selina shrugged. "He did before."

Harleen thought it over. "I feel like he would be more cautious this time."

Selina laughed, almost spilling her drink on Harleen's couch. "Is that your professional opinion?" She snorted. Harleen smiles at her friend, Harleen could take a joke. "As his doctor, shouldn't you have an idea about what he's going to do next?"

That wasn't a joke. At least not to Harleen. She was his doctor and at the same time she knew absolutely nothing about him. "He wasn't open like that."

"He wasn't?"

Harleen shook her head. "We didn't really talk about him." She looked down at her own glass that had stayed full this whole visit. Selina hadn't commented about it and Harleen silently thanked her for that.

"We talked about other stuff." She finally said.

"Like?" Harleen smiled at Selina. She was really acting like a high school girl trying to get information on the new kid in school. She was also most likely drunk.

"Our morals. Our ideologies. Just weird stuff, you wouldn't get it."

"I wouldn't?" Selina looked a little offended, but Harleen knew she was right.

"My bosses didn't." An understanding looked passed on Selina's face. She had remembered how Harleen was furious when Cavendish had been assigned to the Joker. She always remembered the cute smiles she would make when she talked about how the Joker didn't respond.

"They wanted to study him." Harleen continued. "But, not in a way I agreed too."

"Study him?"

"Pick his brain apart basically. But not like I was doing it. They wanted to…do things to him." She looked away at that. Hoping Selina understood what she was saying.

Selina sat there for a moment. Trying to figure out exactly what Harleen was trying to insinuate. "Like an operation?" She finally whispered.

Harleen nodded. "Something like that."

Selina leaned back against the couch. A little surprised at what she heard. You heard about that kind of shit in tv and movies. But not often in real life. "Maybe it's better he got out then."

Harleen wasn't too sure about that. As long as she didn't approve it they would never do it. Unless she wasn't his doctor at least. Probably why they tried to replace her with Cavendish. He would have said yes.

"Maybe."

* * *

Going to sleep after a traumatic experience was really strange. You were never sure if your dreams would be filled either whatever had happened that day.

In the beginning, all she could see were empty hallways. The sound of voices echoed all around her as she walked through the empty them.

Turning a corner, she was brought face to face with a door. It was a simple wooden door. The mind that was found in all of the offices inside of Arkham Asylum. But this door was different. This was most definitely Harleen's office door.

She looked away from it, intending to ignore and find another way out when she heard a knock. She turned back to the door. She looked at it with absolute fear in her eyes. She should've been the only one here.

"Dr. Quinzel?" A voice echoed. She could feel

Her throat choke up.

She couldn't answer. She wouldn't answer. No way. She refused to do this she just couldn't.

"Dr. Quinzel?" The voice asked again. In the same scared echo voice. She had been scared, hadn't she? Why hadn't Harleen heard it then?

"Yes?" The word spilled out from Harleen's mouth on its own accord. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. She couldn't do this. Please, she couldn't do this again.

"I'm sorry to bother you…" The voice trailed off. But Harleen was already on her way. The closer she got to the door, the harder Harleen's breath got. Why, why was she doing this? How could she do this to herself?

Just turn around Harleen. Just turn around damnit! But Harleen hadn't listened. She was already at the door.

"Doctor Quinzel?" The voice had come back. Tears were streaming down Harleen's face. She gripped the door handle with a shaky hand. She held onto it for a long time before finally turning and opening the door.

Another long hallway awaited her. This one however was covered with cell doors. The same ones at the asylum.

Harleen stepped forward, stopping and waiting for who knows what really. She was so scared and it was so stupid. She wiped the tears on her face in frustration. It was a dream, get a grip! She could survive this.

She kept walking forward. She wasn't sure how long she walked. She never turned into another hallway, still shaken by what she would see if she did.

Eventually she came upon a cell door that was different from the others. And by different, Harleen meant different.

The door was covered in a red color. It stood out among the white walls around her. She could faintly hear a laugh from far away that made her shake. Inside she could hear the sounds of footsteps. Someone passing back and forth quickly then slowly before going quickly again. Harleen turned from it. She'd learned her lesson. No more opening doors.

"We had a deal!" A voice called. Harleen turned back around and almost threw up. The door was wide open. There was only darkness inside and the laugh from before only seemed to get louder.

Harleen's breathing seemed to increase and she could feel the tears coming back. She turned around and ran off. She wouldn't be caught. Not this time.

She kept running, she didn't know for how long. The voices around her were getting louder. The laughing was getting much closer. The end of the hallway was coming and at the end was a plain wooden door.

Someone knocked on it. "Dr. Quinzel." A voice called out. She had to open it. She had to. She had to. She had to. She had to. She had to. She had to save her!

"Harleen." A voice said as she stumbled through. In front of her was a woman on her knees, her back towards Harleen. She looked around and realized she was in the dining room of a house. Next to her was the kitchen, the sun shining through the kitchen windows giving the room a natural feel.

In front of the woman was a young boy in a chair. He had his head bowed and seemed to be incredibly tense. Sitting at the dining table was a little girl. She was writing on a piece of paper but Harleen couldn't tell what she was writing.

She looked down at her hand. Looking much smaller then she remembered they did. She looked back up at the woman. She knew what she was seeing now.

"Harleen, get me a wet washcloth." Harleen had hurried to comply. Grabbing a washcloth from a nearby cabinet and quickly wet it in the sink. She quickly ran back and handed it over to her mother who roughly rubbed it against her brother's knee. Eamon winced but didn't dare make a sound.

Their mother made a ticking sound in the back of her throat. "Maybe this will teach you to wear the pads your father gave you." She stated.

Eamon gave a solemn nod. "I'm sorry. I'll wear them." She dropped the washcloth on the floor behind her. Harleen looked at it for a second but the sight of blood was almost nauseating to her. Their mother grabbed the bandaids, pressing two against Eamon's knee.

"That's what I thought." She stood up, Eamon getting up from his seat as well. The two watched their mother take the cloth over to the sink to wash the blood out. "Go to your room." She ordered.

Eamon said a quiet 'yes'. Not saying another word as he walked past Harleen to go upstairs. Her mother turned the faucet off, grabbing the first aid kit she had retrieved from before.

"Put that away." She said to Harleen, handing her the kit to put back in the closet. "Then go back to helping your sister with her homework." She turned her back to Harleen, walking back into the kitchen to continue making dinner.

Sitting down back next to her sister after finishing her task, Harleen could hear Odelia sniffling quietly. Her sister was a real crybaby. Crying over every little thing. It got on their mother's nerve every time she saw her crying over nothing. Harleen rubbed her sister's back for comfort. Hoping their mother wouldn't hear her soft tears. She was probably just worried about Eamon's injury.

From far away she could hear their mother busting around in the kitchen. Their mother wasn't the best cook, but she had gotten better over the years.

A knock sounded at the door. Before their mother could say anything Harleen was already running towards it. "I have it!" She called. Her mother said nothing.

Harleen hurried over to the entryway but stopped dead in her tracks. Standing before her was not the door of her childhood. A particularly stained glass door that made pretty colors when the light hit it just right. No. What stood in front of her was much worse.

A plain wooden door.

"Dr. Quinzel?"

Harleen woke up at that. She was slightly shaking but was altogether feeling fine. She looked around her room. No plain wooden doors.

She closed her eyes for a moment. Running her palms against them to calm her mind. That had been a bad nightmare. The worst Harleen had, had in awhile. Hearing the nurse's voice did shake her, but the later part of her dream did something worse.

Harleen had learned years ago that her mother was different. While other kids' mothers would kiss their injuries and tell them they did nothing wrong, Harleen's would be stone cold and scold them. She refused the coddle the three of them when they did something wrong.

She knew it had always bothered her father. But he knew he would never get his wife to budge. As long as she kept them alive, that was all that mattered. She didn't abuse them, she was just cold to them. Later, Harleen would learn that, that was called emotional negligence.

Harleen sat up in bed, reaching over to the nightstand to grab her glasses. Taking a look at her clock, a few minutes were left before her alarm woke her up. She decided to turn it off instead. Better to get ready for work now. If she even still had a job.

The dream about the nurse was what Harleen hadn't been looking forward to. She knew she would have it. She thought if she didn't think about it before bed then that nightmare wouldn't have happened.

The look of life leaving a person's eye. The single thud that followed as the body fell to the floor. Her uselessness as she stood there in shock, listening to his laughter.

Walking out of her bedroom, she saw that Selina was still passed out on her couch. She had gone out like a light after having too many glasses of wine. Harleen had laid a blanket over her friend, wishing her a good night's rest. But now she wondered what time would be a good one to wake Selina up at.

The lady at the diner had some to come back in the morning. But it was probably too early for something like that. But didn't diners usually stay open twenty-four seven?

The touched the back of her head. It was still sore as hell and Harleen winced when she touched the spot Tobias had hit. He had hit her with a damn gun, he could've killed her!

But he hadn't and the Joker hadn't killed her either.

Brrr…Brrr…

Harleen jumped a little at the sound of her phone ringing. She quickly hurried back inside her bedroom, closing the door behind her so as not to wake Selina up.

She grabbed her cell from the nightstand. The number wasn't listed, but Harleen wasn't going to take the chance. "Hello?" She answered.

"Quinzel, it's Redfern." Harleen should've felt relief, but she felt far from it. Just because no one higher than Redfern hadn't called her didn't necessarily mean anything good. "Uh…I know it's only been twenty-four hours but, how are you holding up?"

"Fine, sir." She answered.

Redfern sighed. "Good, good. Uh…good enough to-to uh..come into work?" He asked hesitantly. Harleen rolled her eyes, of course he would ask her to come in.

"I can still do my job sir." She said.

"No!" He shouted. Harleen pulled her phone from her face a little annoyed. "Not to go back to work. Arkham wants to speak with you."

Harleen froze. Arkham wanted to see her? This can't be good. This couldn't possibly be good. "Solomon?"

"No! Uh..Carolina wants to speak with you." That didn't make it better! Everyone knew Carolina was going to rule Arkham with an iron fist as soon as her father died. Harleen was absolutely terrified of her.

She suddenly thought back to all the questions Detective Sullivan had asked her. What if he had thrown his suspicions at Carolina. What the people on the news shows threw suspicion on her. The women from before did. That would give Carolina a good reason to fire Harleen.

Damn it, keep it together! She rubbed at her face in frustration. She had to calm down, stop imagining the worst.

"Alright. I'll come at my usual time then?" She finally managed to say.

"Yes! That would be great!" Harleen and Redfern said their farewells to each other before they hung up.

Don't panic, don't panic.

She could get through this. Just act like it was another day at work. Harleen had to go

To her boss's office first thing in the mornings sometimes. She'd treat this as just another visit to evaluate her work.

She opened her bedroom door, scurrying over to her bathroom. She closed the door and turned on the lights. Leaning against the sink, she stared down at her hands. Waiting out for when they finally stopped shaking. When they did she took a step back and started to think.

Ok, even if Carolina suspected Harleen was involved, it wouldn't matter. Harleen knew she was innocent and by the footage Batman had shown her, the cameras knew it too. She had ran away from him. She obviously wasn't willingly going along with him.

But Carolina always acted so smart. No. More like she was smart. She was incredibly intelligent. At first it had made Harleen a little jealous when everyone would talk about her smarts. She was the director's daughter after all, of course they said that stuff.

But she really was smart. Harleen had seen her prove it over and over again. She was also one of the only one of the higher ups that didn't have a problem with her method of treating the Joker. Sure, she had given a bit of an annoyed look when Harleen still had nothing to give them. But it didn't matter much when this was the most anyone had heard him say.

Carolina had an interview with Joker once. She didn't go back because she was afraid of him, she didn't go back because he refused to say anything to her. It had been strange, the Joker always said something. Whether it be a veiled threat or some type of personal information.

But he had taken one look at her and it almost like that's all he needed to know. Like he had seen right through whatever he had seen in her eyes. If only Harleen had that power. Her sessions with the patients would be so much easier.

A knock sounded at the door. "Babe, you in there?" Selina asked.

Harleen clenched her hand. This wasn't her dream anymore, she didn't have to be afraid of a knock. "Yeah, I'm just getting ready." She called back.

"You're going into work?"

"Yep. My boss wants to talk to me." Selina turned the knob, opening the door to step inside.

"To give you a break right?" She asked. Selina opened the bottle cabinet, pulling out her toothbrush she often left.

Harleen moved away from the sink, slumping down on the toilet. "I don't know."

Selina pulled out the toothpaste. It was almost empty and Harleen made a mental note to definitely go shopping later. "They better not fire you, babe. You could sue if they do you know."

"I don't think they'll fire me. But I am worried." Harleen explained.

"About?"

Harleen was silent for a moment. Trying to find the right words to explain at least a part of her thoughts. "I was his psychiatrist, Selina." She began "I shouldn't have let this happen."

"You didn't let anything happen, babe. He escaped, that's nobody's fault but the facility's. They obviously need better security."

Harleen winced a little at that. Thinking back to the guards that had died during the breakout. But Selina was right. Tobias had been a guard for a long time, long before Joker ever showed up. But somehow he had gotten Tobias to break him out. Why? Tobias had been a nice guy as far as Harleen knew.

Maybe that was it. She didn't know him. Harleen only ever saw Tobias at work, but she never really asked those kinds of questions. She just wasn't interested in her co-workers' personal lives. If she had been would Tobias had changed his mind?

She heard Selina rinse off her toothbrush. Putting it back inside the cabinet before facing her.

"Don't worry. The worst thing they can do is make you go on unpaid leave. Which by the way is an asshole thing to do. You were a hostage for god's sake."

Harleen wanted to believe her friend. But it was so hard. "Thanks." She eventually settled on. Selina smiled at her and gave Harleen a pat on the back. She'd need that one for later.

"Shit, is that really the time." Selina asked a little later, looking at her phone in shock. "I need to get back to my apartment."

"You know you could borrow my clothes." Harleen offered from the kitchen. Nothing in there but the leftovers from their meal last night. She would have it for dinner and prayed she'd remember to go to the grocery store. Put a reminder on her phone?

"No, I should really head some first. But thanks for offering, babe." Selina hurried to the front door with Harleen following after her. She grabbed the door handle as it swung open and waved to Selina. Selina waved back as she ran down the apartment stairs and towards the road where her car was.

"Text me later!" Selina called from her car. Harleen shouted back an 'ok' before heading back inside.

She leaned against her door in exhaustion. She wasn't ready to see Carolina. Not at all. But she couldn't stand there and think about the worst case scenario all day.

Harleen walked over to the tv, grabbing the remote to turn the tv back on. Gotham Central was on. Just like it had been for the past fifty years.

"The Joker is already creating terror across the streets of Gotham."


	4. Chapter 4

**Poison**

* * *

_Chapter Four_

* * *

_"Last night, the Joker, along with a group of individuals who the public have nicknamed his 'Joker Gang', raided a warehouse where the owners say large shipments of contraband were being kept. The police have confirmed that a large quantity of the contraband included drugs and illegal weapons. The group were able to acquire eight shipments of contraband before being chased off by the Batman._

_Wednesday morning, the Joker escaped from Arkham Asylum with the help of an unknown accomplice. Eight staff members were murdered in the process. The Joker has been described as being armed and dangerous. Gotham police are warning citizens to be on the lookout and if they see any strange activity, to contact the authorities. Here is Ryan Bishop on the scene at Arkham Asylum."_

_"On Saturday, a memorial service will be held near the entrance of Arkham Asylum for the eight victims of this tragic incident. The eight victims include nurses Judith Harris, Anne Washington, Irene Warren, Dr. Alexander Knight along with Dr. Douglas Adams, night guards Kurt Carpenter with Peter Lopez and receptionist Meredith Bell. The eight were murdered when the notorious serial killer and terrorist, The Joker, escaped from Arkham Asylum, Wednesday morning. The families of the victims have been coming forward to talk about the lives that have been lost and the people who have been affected."_

_"You know she was a mother of two. She didn't deserve to die."_

_"It was a quiet Wednesday night. Krys Harris was in her home, taking care of her sister's children along with her own young son. Her sister had left hours before for a shift at her job."_

_"She's been trying for so long to get a nursing job anywhere! She was so happy when they hired her, she said she was finally going to be able to take care of her kids."_

_"Krys is speaking about her younger sister, 32 year-old Judith Harris. Judith was a nurse at Arkham Asylum, working night shifts to take care of her two young children after the death of her husband one year prior."_

_"A drunk driver got him when he was coming back home and, you know, my sister was trying so hard to be a rock for her two kids."_

_"On Wednesday morning, Judith, along with seven other asylum personnel, were found murdered by the criminal only known as 'The Joker'. Police reports indicate the Joker was able to escape his cell with help from an asylum staff member, who has not been named. We here at Gotham Central News have tried multiple attempts to contact Arkham Asylum, however the asylum has so far not responded. Many online have already started speculating about who exactly helped the Joker escape, but until an official statement has been made, they are only speculations._

_Krys Harris along with the other families of the eight victims, will be holding a protest outside the gates of the Arkham Asylum entrance on Saturday. They state that all are welcome to show support in their time of need. Gotham City Police have already given out a brief statement on the situation."_

_"We are advising all Gotham residents to be aware of your surroundings and to please, do not go anywhere you know is dangerous alone. Please make sure that in any situation, you are able to contact the Gotham Police or someone you trust to come get you. If you see anything suspicious or have any leads on the whereabouts of the Joker or his accomplices, please send in a tip to Gotham Police. We will need the help of our citizens to keep the city safe."_

_"Citizens of Gotham, however, are unsatisfied at the GCPD's lack of leads. Many residents are frightened by the thought that the Joker is now free and roaming the streets. Gotham City Police is continuing to assure residents that as long as they stay vigilant that they will not be hurt._

_This has been Ryan Bishop. Gotham Central News."_

* * *

The silver gates of Arkham Asylum were already open as usual when Harleen's taxi pulled up. As they passed by, Harleen did her best to not look up at the group of reporters loitering around. Nor the even larger group of relatives and well wishers.

Harleen clutched her bag even tighter. If any of these people learned she was Joker's psychiatrist…she really didn't want to think about what they would say to her. It would have to come out at some point, but Harleen hoped that she could keep this secret for just a little longer. She'd have to answer so many questions when people found out. She didn't have any of the answers however.

The cab dropped her off on the curve, she paid the money and quickly leaped our. Before entering the main building, Harleen walked over to her car she had left Wednesday morning. Making sure it turned on, and that no one had tried to break in while she was gone. She had patient files in there and while none of them were high profile cases, she'd prefer that none of them were stolen.

She was startled to find that her driver side window had been broken. She cursed her luck, of course someone had tried to break in. The only problem was who? The asylum wasn't that secure, but it was rare to have break-ins like this. Which meant…

She looked through her broken window and saw what she believed to be a slip of paper. Why? When? Grabbing it gently from the pile of glass, she looked at the quick scribbling in shock.

(xxx)xxx-xxxx

call this number

and sorry about the window

She almost crumbled it and threw it away. Almost.

This could be a good opportunity. This number would either connect her to Joker or Tobias. If she could try and talk one of them out of whatever they were doing…

Was Harleen actually an idiot? The Joker had already raided a harbor. He'd already gotten a gang of people working for him. He wasn't going to come back, especially because she asked him to.

She gripped it in her hand, knowing that if she threw the paper away she would lose her opportunity. Her heart was beating faster as the seconds passed. Harleen finally made her decision and pressed the note inside her pocket

She'd call it when she got back home. After visiting the diner of course. Picking up groceries was on her list as well. She also had to call someone to fix her window. Which means she wouldn't have a car for a while. She felt along the note in her pocket.

Was it really worth it?

"I know a guy." A voice suddenly said. "He could fix that at a good cost."

Harleen was sure she would have punched Carolina for that if she hadn't recognized her voice. She turned to see Carolina standing a few feet away from Harleen, looking between the shattered window and Harleen. "Ah..I'd appreciate that."

How did she even know Harleen was here? Carolina's office was on the other side of the asylum, a much smaller building that all the higher-ups used. For her to know she was here that would mean she would have been watching the front entrance. A little creepy, but understandable considering the situation.

"Let's talk in my office. I'll call him on my way over." Carolina said, turning away. Harleen hurried after her, looking back at her car for a moment before thinking 'fuck it.' Even if patients' records were stolen, they didn't have dangerous information on them.

The inside of the main building was more busy than Harleen had ever seen it before. Unlike the usual one bodyguard at the front entrance, four men stood ready for anything to jump off.

There were a lot more people trying to visit than she'd ever seen. Of course with the situation, unless you were staff or police officers you weren't getting in. Some were speaking to doctors or nurses. Trying to get information about the patients who they were worried for.

Although the situation was dire, it made Harleen feel a little better. A lot of the patients didn't have anyone visit them ever. The fact that some of them had family members or friends who cared like this showed that at least someone out there thought about them.

Walking past the administration building was a strange thing. People were standing outside the building, having normal conversations like nothing had happened. Sure it had been just the other day, of course people would still have to go on with their lives. But those nurses were laughing together, like they weren't standing in the same spot that their colleagues died in.

But for them nothing did happen. They weren't there to witness the Joker's massacre. They didn't understand how it felt to trek through a pile of bodies. Piles of bodies. So many Harleen could barely see the top. And at the bottom was their killer. All smiles like this was a game. But it wasn't a game. So don't treat it like one you ignorant fucks. People's lives aren't something you could just fucking toy with-acting like you're god-you have no right-she didn't deserve it-she didn't deserve it-she did nothing wrong-you could have let her go-she's died-her head in the puddle-

"Quinzel?" Harleen jumped. She was standing in front of the administration building. Carolina had her phone up to her ear, looking at Harleen with a worried look on her face.

"Yes?"

"I asked what your licence plate number is." Harleen nodded at that, telling her the plate numbers. Carolina went back to speaking to the man on the phone.

Harleen looked away from her boss, trying to calm down. She couldn't just have a mental outburst like that. If she let herself think too much…it was just a bad idea.

"Are you okay? You look a little pale." Carolina gave Harleen a onceover. Probably trying to find one thing out of place that she could exploit. Harleen would t let her find one.

She straightened up. Giving her boss a little smile. "Sorry I'm fine."

She really had to stop thinking like that. Carolina wasn't trying to hurt Harleen. She was trying to be understanding and Harleen was over here worrying about what was going to happen to her.

They continued inside the building, heading up the set of stairs towards the third floor where Carolina's office was. It had been a long time since Harleen had been in this building. It was usually used for more higher ranked doctors and head administrators.

All the doctors dreamed of having an office in this building one day. A long time ago, Harleen would've counted herself among them. But now, walking down the long hallway towards Carolina's office, everything just seemed to be suffocating for her. She wondered how reinforced the doors were.

God, stop it. She thought.

The two finally reached the end of the hall. At the end was a door Harleen thought was Carolina's. But on closer expectation she saw it had 'Dr. S. Arkham. Head Administration'. That was Solomon's office, Carolina's father. Carolina's office was next to her father's. 'Dr. C. Arkham. Asylum Operations Administer'.

Carolina opened her office door, leaving it open for Harleen to come in after her. "How are you feeling?" Carolina asked as Harleen closed the door.

"Uh…about what, exactly?" Harleen asked back. She gave a quick glance around Carolina's office. It was much larger than Harleen's office. Carolina's office was this big, who knew how big Solomon's was. She even had nice plush seats, much better than Harleen's hard metal chairs her guests had to sit in. On both sides of the room were filing cabinets. Lots of filing cabinets.

What the hell did she need so many for.

She didn't have many decorations. Her degrees were hanging on the left side and on the right wall was a full scale blueprint of the entire asylum. Harleen was sure it was up to date, but she could see names of buildings she didn't recognize. Plans for a new wing perhaps?

"Just about the whole situation. You did get assaulted by the Joker and were forced to witness two murders, not including the mass slaughter you walked through. Not to mention witness the betrayal of a coworker. I can't imagine how you're feeling after all that." She gestured towards the chairs in front of her desk. Harleen felt almost insulted, no way Carolina was asking her to sit in one of those nice chairs.

But Harleen did eventually walk over. Sitting in the chair to Carolina's left, she felt a heavy weight in her throat. Carolina wasn't trying to be confrontational, Harleen could tell. It just seemed like that was how she naturally talked. Growing up as an asylum director's doctor and future heir would do that to someone. Harleen would know, she went to school to learn that shit.

"I'm not really sure how to feel." She finally answered. It was true at least. Harleen had been trying to process her feelings ever since it happened. "I was terrified, of course. But now that he's not around, I just feel disappointed in myself."

"Disappointed?" Carolina shuffled some things on her desk. Pulling her laptop closer and started typing in it. Was she...was Harleen in a session? She knew Carolina would take note about what she said. But she hadn't realized her superior would actually take notes in front of her! "Can you elaborate?"

No! Harleen immediately thought. That wouldn't get her anywhere. That kind of reaction would make her look increasingly suspicious. "I know the families will blame me for not 'fixing' him." She began to explain. "They'll say…they are saying that it's my fault. They think I'm an accomplice." The longer they hid the truth, the harder outside pressure would be to reveal it.

"They do, don't they." Carolina said. More to herself really then to Harleen. She typed for a moment before pausing. She turned to look at Harleen who looked a little miserable. "Well, of course it's not true."

"It's not?" Wait, did Carolina actually think Harleen was innocent? Was she on her side? Carolina went back to typing. Harleen wondered if she was taking notes or was she doing her actual work. Harleen wasn't sure if the latter was relieving or insulting.

"Well, the public doesn't know you're innocent. They haven't seen the security tapes." She stopped again. Giving Harleen a sideways stare. "Not unless you want them too."

Harleen shook her head immediately. She stopped, realizing that was a dumb thing to do in front of her boss. "Those tapes are extremely graphic."

Carolina turned back to her work, or notes. "Yes, but the police can always censor and edit things out."

"If they could do that, why haven't they?"

"They weren't sure if the asylum was comfortable with exposing your identity." Harleen looked away from Caroline. They had to expose her identity. Why? Blur out her face. They did it all the time on TV, it wasn't hard! Why did everyone have to know who the Joker's doctor was.

Carolina looked back at Harleen. Interrupting her personal dilemma. "Quinzel. Eventually, this will be leaked."

"Can they censor my face?" Harleen hopes to ask.

Carolina nodded. "Yes. But people will eventually figure it out. I can't stop leaks no matter how hard I try." She said this with a slight sound of frustration in her voice. Leaks must have been a problem in Arkham. Well, it's not like someone on the staff was working for the Joker or anything like that.

Harleen sighed. Feeling like she was at the end of her rope with this entire situation. "I understand." She finally replied.

Carolina nodded, turning back to her back work. She typed something out for a moment before Harleen heard something turn on. She looked behind Carolina to the right where a printer was printing something out.

Carolina stood up, walking over to the printer as pages came out. "Then you can go then. I'll handle your time off." She stated.

"Time off?" Harleen questioned.

Carolina turned to look at her, a look of confusion on her face. "You were just attacked, Quinzel. Don't you want a little time off?" She asked.

Harleen watched as Carolina grabbed the stack of papers, taking a folder from the stack on top of the printer and organizing the pages inside.

"While that would be nice, I wouldn't be comfortable just not being here. I'd still like to handle my other cases."

Carolina walked away from the printer. Heading towards the row of cabinets. "Are you sure?" She began. "I'd think your patients would like you at your full potential. I don't believe you can do that after what happened." She paused a moment to give Harleen a sideways glance. It made Harleen shiver a bit. It was almost like Carolina was testing her.

She was most definitely failing.

"With all due respect, if I don't continue with my work, I fear my mental health will decline." It wasn't wrong. Harleen couldn't stay in that apartment by herself with nothing to do. She had to go back to her regular routine. She had to.

"Really?"

Harleen shrugged. Not really sure what Carolina wanted her to say. "It's just not that great to be left with your own thoughts for so long."

"If you think it's for the best, then I won't stop you. Just don't let your thoughts interfere with your work." Wow. Harleen knew she wasn't wrong but, she didn't have to be so blunt about it.

"Yes, ma'am." Harleen watch's das Carolina stood in front of the row of filing cabinets for a moment. Seeming to be considering something over.

It didn't take Harleen long to realize how Carolina had her cabinets organized. It was in alphabetical order by Wing level. Carolina was standing in front of the cabinets for B Wing, alternating between looking at the cabinets and file in her hand.

She looked back at Harleen "Also, you will be going to the fundraiser next month correct?"

Harleen blanked. Shocked out of her element for a moment. "Uh…I don't think-"

"Quinzel." Carolina interrupted. "If you wish to have amanimaty for as long as you can, I suggest you attend the fundraiser. Not attending will make outsiders suspicious."

Damn her for being right.

"Of course." Harleen agreed. She didn't want to go. She was so tired of that shit and she hoped this event would make a great excuse. Curse Carolina and her correct predictions.

"Also." Carolina continued, walking away from the cabinets to the ones on the other side. "My father and the other members of the head administration will want to speak with you. They won't be as pleasant with their questions as I have been."

God, no. Harleen sighed again, looking down at her lap. That was the last thing she wanted to go through. "Yes, I-I understand."

Carolina turned away from those cabinets. She looked a little conflicted and frustrated. It was a little funny seeing those two looks on the otherwise composed doctor's face. It almost made her look human.

Almost.

"Take this." Harleen jumped as Carolina dropped the file she was holding on Harleen's lap. Harleen looked up at her boss as she sat back down at her desk. Harleen looked down at the file. She slowly opened it, afraid of what she would see inside.

However it was just a regular patient file. Harleen was confused. Why was she given this?

"Is this a new patient?" She asked.

Carolina nodded. "Yes. I want you to take the case. She seems fine, but she's against male doctors. I've been trying to find a suitable female doctor for her, I was afraid I'd have to take her case." Carolina didn't take cases usually. She was too high up to worry about such things.

She had only talked to the Joker after her father's insistence. Carolina was blunt, too blunt. Most of her former patients had only opened up to her because they had hoped the sooner they got better, the sooner she'd leave their lives.

Carolina wasn't disappointed by the Joker's disinterest in her. He saw through her and she apparently saw through him.

"If you want to show me you're ok, agree to take her case." She continued to explain.

Harleen's startled eyes looked up at her. She couldn't be serious, could she? But Carolina only continued to stare at Harleen. She was dead serious. Like she always was.

Harleen closed the file. Knowing that all their conversation had been was a test. And this case file was the finale exam.

"I'll take the case."

"Thank you. We're done, you can go now."

She didn't need to tell Harleen twice.

Walking towards her office, Harleen stopped right in front of the building for a minute. The last time she was in that building there were dead people. People who had died just because they were in the way.

A thought suddenly struck her. What would he have done if Harleen wasn't at work? If she had left at her scheduled time? Those people would have died for nothing. She could feel her eyes suddenly become wet. She was going to cry.

Stop. Stop. This is not the right time.

Harleen closed her eyes. Trying to force herself to calm down. No she couldn't do it. She had to go somewhere else to calm down.

Harleen turned to leave the asylum but remembered the situation with her car. The person probably hadn't even got to the island yet, let alone had it fixed in the time since Carolina called.

She decided to sit on one of the benches outside. She dropped her bag next to her, slumping down onto the bench. Why did she say she was ok? Why hadn't she taken that break?

Don't be left alone with your thoughts.

Harleen sat up. She was right. She needed to focus on something else. Harleen took the case file back out her bag. She flipped it open looking over the file of the patient Caroline assigned to her.

Oh, a doctor. Well, former doctor at least. Went overseas for a project and came back acting strange. Her family, worried about her sanity, had sent her to a facility. Only for her to get violent towards any male doctor that came near her. Hell, she was nasty to any man that came near her, period.

Sad really. Just a brilliant mind reduced to a former shell of itself. She hadn't opened up to any of the female doctors they tried to assign her too. Harleen wondered what giving her the case would accomplice.

Was it because she got the Joker to talk? What, was Harleen suddenly a miracle worker? She was just a psychiatrist for goodness sake. She couldn't cure everyone who she came across.

It reminded her of Crane.

He was like a miracle worker. He had been able to get his patients to open it real easy. Back then, it had been like he knew exactly what they were thinking. Like he knew what they thought. It wasn't until it was too late that…

She'd forgotten about Crane.

Harleen closed the file, slumping forward this time. Why did everything have to remind her of that damn night. It was unreasonable. She decided that she couldn't sit there wallowing in despair forever.

She got up, deciding to drop her bag off at the visitor lockers and give a brief visit to her patients. Hopefully that would help her.

Harleen came back to her car a few hours later, finding her broken window had been fixed like it had never happened. The only remnants being the shards of glass that the person hadn't been able to pick up still littering the ground and her car.

She realized as she was walking up, she hadn't paid for the service.

Damn. Carolina played me. If the case wasn't the favor for paying for her car window, then Harleen would have to be careful from now on. She didn't know how much the place that Carolina called was. Probably somewhere Carolina knew Harleen wouldn't be able to afford.

"What have I gotten myself into." She whispered.

Driving out the silver gates again, Harleen tried not to look at the group of people. If she turned and saw their faces, would they know? Know what she did? Know what she didn't do?

No. They didn't know anything. The asylum had barely said anything.

Arriving at her apartment, Harleen paused for a moment. She really didn't want to be by herself. But there was nowhere she could go. She had a key to Selina's apartment. But she was at work and wouldn't be off for hours.

There was the diner. Her last visit didn't end…pleasantly, but maybe what happened was a rare occurrence. She could stay there for a few hours, come back home, take a quick nap and head over to Selina's apartment.

Before she knew it Harleen was already out her car door and walking towards the restaurant.

Opening the door, Harleen felt a weird sense of dejavu. There were two men seated at the bar. They weren't together. One was seated at the far left against the wall. The other was seated right in front of Harleen. A woman was cleaning behind the bar and Harleen could see someone working in the kitchen.

"For here or to go?" The woman asked, not looking up.

"For here." The waitress gave Harleen a quick look. She jumped up when she realized it was Harleen standing there. It was the waitress from the last time, who Harleen was sure must just live and breathe the diner if she was still here at this time.

"You came back. I was worried I'd never see your face again." The waitress said as Harleen sat in the booth she had the last time.

"I've seen worse." She replied. The waitress came up to take Harleen's order but had paused for a moment. She gave Harleen a slow look over.

"You work at the asylum?" She asked.

Harleen stared at her. How the hell did she know she worked at the asylum? The waitress smiled, pointing at Harleen like the answer was obvious. She looked down and saw she was still wearing her lab coat, like a fucking idiot.

"You either work at the hospital, the labs or the asylum. I just picked one." Harleen sighed. While she didn't want to confirm anything, there was no harm in having a simple conversation.

"Yeah, I work at the asylum."

The waitress looked proud at her correct assessment. "You weren't hurt the other day right?" She began to ask. "It would just rattle my bones to know one of my customers had died like that."

"Ah, no. I had gotten off hours ago." More like should have gotten off. That'll teach Harleen to work overtime.

The waitress nodded her head. "Good. You're lucky. I swear, every generation something just has to happen over there."

Harleen perked up at that. "Every generation?"

"You don't remember?" The woman looked surprised. Almost like she couldn't believe Harleen had never heard the rumors. "Everyone talks about it growing up."

Harleen shook her head. "Sorry. I moved here four years ago. Don't really know any local stories." Never bothered to either. Her only friend was Selina, and Selina wasn't a Gotham native either.

The waitress still seemed shocked. "I'm surprised no one at the asylum has said a thing. It always ends up coming up when I talk to anyone about that place." She commented. Harleen gestured for the woman to sit across from her. There were obviously not going to be any customers anytime soon. Plus, while she didn't look too old, but Harleen didn't like not offering older women seats when she could.

The waitress sat down. Harleen realized the two of them had never introduced themselves to each other. But before she could, the woman began speaking.

"Well, twenty years or so ago there was a fire at Arkham." She started the talk like she was speaking to an old girlfriend. It made Harleen feel comfortable, so she sat up and listened close.

"Started inside one of their labs and spread into one of the wings. Lots of the folks in there escaped and even to this day they're still looking for a lot of them." She paused for a moment. Obviously trying to remember any other details about the event.

"Do they know how it started?" Harleen asked.

The woman sat back. Concentrating for a moment before turning back to Harleen. "Well, apparently nobody was supposed to be in there that night. Said it was a plan to get some mob guy out. Others say it was just an accident. Those are the dumb ones." She pulled something out her pockets.

"Mind if I smoke." Harleen shook her head.

"Mob guy?" That stuck out to Harleen. Mob guys usually weren't admitted into Arkham. But she knew a few of the guys in B and C Wing were normal criminals from Blackgate. They would be transferred to Arkham to have a more hands on approach to their rehabilitation. Some of those guys definitely needed it.

But mob guys? That was different. There had to be a little more than some rehabilitation situation. Those guys couldn't just walk into normal society if they weren't normal to begin with.

"There's a lot of them in Gotham." She pointed a stern finger at Harleen. "Be careful with that. This area isn't really noticed by them anymore, but one wrong step and you'll be on their radar." She looked away from Harleen and out the window.

Harleen followed her gaze. On the street she could see a group of teenage boys standing around the corner store. They weren't really doing anything, but Harleen knew for a fact it was another hour and a half before any of the high schools let out. The waitress was giving them a slight glare. They must be frequent troublemakers of the neighborhood. Harleen would remember their faces.

"Is it really that bad?" She asked, turning back to the older woman.

The waitress took a long drag of her cigarette. "It only gets worse everyday, dear." She looked back at Harleen, continuing her talk of rumors.

"Then there was this one doctor." She began. "They say he did some crazy experiments on a few sad slacks there. Caught him red handed in the middle of an operation, is what everyone says." She gave Harleen a look. As if to say she wouldn't want to know what kind of operation the man was in the middle of.

Harleen shivered. She didn't want to know. "That's horrible. How long ago was that."

The waitress looked away in thought. "Oh…that happened when I was a little girl. It's all my parents and their buds would talk about."

"What happened to that doctor?" The waitress gave Harleen a sharp look. She leaned in and whispered.

"Murdered."

Harleen froze. She wasn't expecting that answer.

"Well, that's the rumor. Police never found a body. Most folks think he faked his death and hightailed it out of Gotham." The woman said almost like an afterthought.

"What do you believe." Harleen asked.

She shrugged. "It happened so long ago. If he didn't hit the sack then, then he's probably in the dirt by now. Bastard was old as hell."

The chime above the door suddenly sounded. Harleen turned to see a woman walk quickly inside and head behind the counter. It was a different woman from last time. She was slightly older and had a darker complexion.

The waitress put out her smoke on a folded napkin. Standing up from her seat across from Harleen. She smiled down at Harleen. "Sorry dear, I didn't get your name. I'm Marilyn."

"Harleen."

"Harleen?" She gave Harleen a quizzical expression. "As in…Dr. Quinzel?"

It was Harleen's turn to give Marilyn a surprised expression. "Ah…yes?"

"Oh my golden horse, Joseph!" Marilyn shouted. The two men looked at her in worry. When they realized nothing was wrong they looked back at...nothing as far as Harleen could see.

"Joseph come from the kitchen, you ain't got no orders!"

Harleen listened as the chef made noise in the back. She saw the man bust out from the back, giving Marilyn a frustrated look.

"What?" He seethed. She pointed towards Harleen who was already standing up with a smile on her.

"Oh, Joseph! I can't believe it!" Harleen greeted.

The man was surprised to see her standing there. "Dr. Quinzel!" He exclaimed, fast walking from behind the counter. "What are you doing in a place like this?"

He jumped as he felt a slap suddenly on his arm. "And what's wrong with my diner?" Marilyn demanded.

"It ain't no place for a doctor!" Joseph shot back.

Marilyn crossed her arms. "Like time I checked all kinds of folks came here."

"All kinds of dumb folk." Joseph mumbled. He turned back to Harleen, giving her a relieved smile.

"How have you been Joseph?" Harleen asked.

Joseph has been a patient Harleen had spoken to for seven months last year. He had been an inmate from Blackgate who'd requested to have therapy. Two days a week, guys from Blackgate would bus over to Arkham and have sessions. Harleen found Joseph to be a sweet guy in an unfortunate situation.

Personally, Harleen felt like Joseph didn't deserve to go to jail for just shoplifting. But whoever had pressed charges against him had stated Joseph had assaulted them. It was bullshit, but no one cared for guys like Joseph and were glad to get him off the streets and into a cell.

Joseph seemed to be beaming at Harleen. Happier than she had ever seen him. "I'm doing real well, miss! I'm doing all the things you recommended me to do. I even called my parents like you said. They said I could see my daughter on the weekends!" He looked so happy and it brightened Harleen's day so much. After what had happened, she needed something like this.

"That's great Joseph. I'm really proud of you. I'm happy to see you working." Joseph's girlfriend had died not too long after Joseph went to jail, leaving his parents as his daughters guardians.

They never let her visit and they never visited him. It had hurt him real bad and Joseph knew the only way his parents would let him see his daughter is if he got his life together.

"Took pity on the dumb fool. Nobody else would take him in." Marilyn said, giving Jospeh a few pats on his back. Joseph frowned at that, but Harleen could see that he didn't dislike her. Just didn't like being unnecessarily bothered.

"Thank you Marilyn. Everyone deserves a second chance." Harleen gave Marilyn an appreciative smile.

"What would you like to eat doctor?" Joseph suddenly asked. "I can cook anything you like."

"Anything on the menu." Marilyn corrected. Joseph frowned at her again.

"Whatever." Marilyn pinched Joseph's ear making her swat her hand away. She laughed at him while he grimaced back.

Harleen enjoyed this. It meant so much to her to see one of her patients out in regular society. To see all her hard work turn into something right.

Harleen finally left two hours later. She gave Joseph some more words of encouragement before heading back to her apartment. Marilyn, a woman who never seemed to go on break, watched Harleen walk down the street from the diner window.

She turned away, walking towards the kitchen where Joseph and one other chef worked on cleaning. The two men in front never ordered anything beyond coffee and the occasional food order.

"So Jo," Marilyn started. The other man in the kitchen walked out, knowing he was not suppose to be listening to the following conversation. "What's Quinzel like?"

"Dr. Quinzel." Joseph said instead, not

Looking away from his cleaning.

Marilyn rolled her eyes. "Same thing."

Joseph started scrubbing harder. "She's a Doctor. She's earned respect." A sound was heard from the front. Marilyn turned to see the other waitress had walked out with the other chef. They were talking on the street, something no one could hear.

"And what do you mean?" Joseph asked. Marilyn turned back to him.

"Well, what's her personality." She took a cigarette out her pocket. Joseph didn't allow smoking in the kitchen, but he wasn't going to say anything against Marilyn.

"Nice, I guess. Real nice. Real smart too." Joseph said. Commenting on her smartness after her niceness a little too fast. Marilyn snorted. Dumbness had a crush on the good doctor.

"Not a bad bone in her body?" She continued to interrogate.

Joseph dropped his scrubber, finally turning to look at the waitress. "Why?"

"I'm just curious, Jo. Don't get all protective."

He still wasn't satisfied. "Well, Dr. Quinzel is a wonderful person. I'd never say anything bad about her. I owe her my life." His tone was slowly turning more aggressive.

Marilyn put up her hand. "I get it. Just go back to cleaning."

Joseph grabbed the scrubber, but didn't continue what he had been doing. "What's this about?"

Marilyn looked at him for a moment, contemplating if it was worth it to tell the truth. She figured it wouldn't hurt, who would he tell. "If you must know, the big boss asked me to keep tabs on her."

"Why?" Joseph was squeezing the scrubber. Uncomfortable by the thought of their boss being interested in his doctor.

She shrugged. "I don't know, I'm not supposed to ask. Neither should you." She said quickly when she saw the look in Joseph's eyes.

"He didn't tell you her name?"

She glared at the air. "Said it wasn't important. Damn liar."

"Well whatever he wants, let him know Dr. Quinzel doesn't deserve to get hurt." He spit out.

"I see that, Jo." Marilyn said. She waved off his aggression. "Calm down. I'm sure it's nothing."

"It ain't ever nothing with that slime." He said a little too loudly. Marilyn turned around quickly, looking at the two men in front. They hadn't moved, but then again, they often didn't.

She whirled back at Joseph. "Watch your tongue, unless you want it clipped off." He shrieked back a little. But he was still obvious on edge about the situation and definitely would not be letting it go.

"Go back to work."

Harleen realized something was wrong as soon as she stepped into her apartment. She couldn't quite figure out what it was, but she suddenly felt like there was someone else in her apartment. Giving a brief look into her bedroom, closet and bathroom showed that this wasn't true, but the feeling wouldn't leave her body.

Taking off her jacket, something fluttered out her jacket and onto the floor. Looking down she realized it was the note from before. The note someone wrote her after breaking her damn car window.

Harleen squeezed her eyes shut. She really shouldn't do it. She wasn't mentally nor physically prepared for whatever lay behind the seven digits.

However, she began to think, if she didn't do it now, whoever had broken her window might do something more dramatic to get her attention. Like murdering a nurse right in front of her office door.

She grabbed the note quickly off the floor. She grabbed her bag, digging around inside to find her cellphone. However she dropped it back down after considering it for a moment. She did not want whoever this was knowing her personal phone number. Who knows what they could do with it.

Instead she grabbed her home phone. It was sitting by her tv and had dusk on it from clear disuse. The only people who knew the number were her siblings, grandmother, Selina and her job. And now whoever this was.

She rang once, but no one picked up. She hadn't typed it in wrong. Maybe they had gotten tired of waiting and threw the phone away? Maybe it was busy? She tried again and got the same response.

Now she was really worried. She did not want someone breaking into her apartment this time. She'd never be able to sleep in peace again. She tried again, this time someone picked up after four rings.

"Dr. Quinzel."

"...Tobias?"

"It's good to hear you're okay." Harleen almost threw her phone against the wall. She clenched it inside, anger bubbling up inside her at the sound of the man's voice.

"You do understand that I have every right to not only cuss you out, but to call the police on this number, right?" Harleen proceeded to threaten.

However, Tobias just said simply, "It's a prepaid phone."

"What do you want?"

"I just wanted to give something to you. As an incentive to help us." Harleen almost fell out. The nerve of this man to say something as ridiculous as-

"Help you?"

"Help us break Crane out of Arkham."

Harleen almost dropped the phone. Images of her family suddenly flashed through Harleen's mind. She thought about what her father would say if he could see her now. "Are you-no, no. You are insane! There is no way in hell I'm helping you do anything!"

Tobias didn't immediately say anything. Finally, after what felt like an eternity to Harleen, he commented, "I hope you like cats."

"Excuse me?"

She could suddenly hear a muffled voice on Tobias's side. "Go into your bedroom."

Even though she knew she shouldn't listen to an apparent criminal, there was still that lingering feeling that she wasn't alone in the house. If it was what Tobias said it was….

She went back into her bedroom. A bag Harleen hadn't noticed when she first walked in sat next to her bed. Looking at it, she could see it was something similar to a diaper bag, but slightly different.

She definitely felt eyes on her. At first she couldn't tell where they were coming from. Until she saw something slightly move from under her bed. Getting down on her knees, Harleen leaned down and saw a gray cat crouching under her bed. It was kinda cute. And kinda not hers.

"Who's cat is this Tobias?" She asked, standing back up.

"You don't want to know. Just don't let it out of your apartment. He's considered missing." Tobias stated. Of course he was. That's exactly what Harleen needed a stolen cat hidden in her house.

"Why would I keep him." She asked, walking out back into the living room.

"You'll want to keep him doctor. It's part of the Joker's insurance."

"I'm not helping him break out Crane, Tobias! It's not happening!" She shouted. She jumped a little, hopefully none of her neighbors heard that.

She heard him sigh on the other end of the line. "Just keep the cat. I put some stuff in the bag for him. Left some food in your cabinet as well."

Harleen didn't think her blood could go colder, but it definitely did. If it wasn't enough he broke into her house, left a suspicious cat, no, he also had to open her fucking cabinets to put the food in there.

"I hope you know I'm changing my locks after this." She decided was the best response to go with.

"I didn't come through the door." With that he hung up. Harleen looked at her phone before swiftly looking over at her living room window. It was still locked, just like how she left it.

That meant he had come through some other way. She hurried over to her bedroom, taking a look at the window in there. That was locked as well. There was another window in the living room next to the front door. But that wouldn't open no matter how hard anyone tried.

Finally she entered her kitchen and froze when she saw the window was slightly cracked. Definitely not how she had left it. She never opened the kitchen window.

"You piece of shit." She muttered to herself, closing and locking the window.

She locked all the windows, again. Pulling the curtains closed for good measure. Even the one that didn't budge, she locked it. You could never be too sure.

Hurrying back to her bedroom Harleen stopped when she remembered she had an uninvited guest in her home. She looked over at her bed and she watched as the cat peeked out and surveyed the area.

Whether it was satisfied by what he saw or not, the cat went back under the bed. Harleen stared at him for a moment before sighing.

"You're lucky I like cats."

Harleen's heart was dangerously close to jumping out of her body. "Joker, please don't kill him." Harleen managed to say. The Joker's grip was tight around her neck and the gun pressed against her head made her whole body shiver.

"Kill him!" Joker gasped. "Who me? I wouldn't dare kill him." Osman kept struggling against the Joker's men on the floor. Harleen really wished he'd had gone limp and pretended to be knocked out. Joker took the gun away from her head, pointing it towards one of his henchmen.

The man stiffened. Not sure why his boss suddenly had a gun aimed at his head. "He'll kill him."

"No!" Harleen tried to lunge forward, but the Joker had a firm grip on her.

The lackey nodded, pointing the gun at Osman's head. Osman struggled even harder, but it was all for nothing as the bullet went from the gun straight through his head. There was a loud ring through the air before all went silent. Harleen could do nothing as she watched the henchmen let the Osman's lifeless body drop. Blood pooling around his head, the men stepped back in disgust.

Someone cried out and suddenly a chorus of loud voices drifted through the air. Some in despair, others in anger, but mostly in absolute shock. Harleen felt the world around her slow. All the sounds drifted together in a muddled mess that couldn't get through. The ringing in her ears seemed to only get louder.

"Shut the hell up, before I cap a bullet in another one of youse." One man shouted.

"Get the cuffs." She heard Joker command. His voice ripped through the sea of silence, turning her attention back to the gun attached to her head. The Joker had let go of Harleen's arm. A man came from behind her, roughly grabbing her hands to tie them into a pair of handcuffs.

Joker dragged Harleen away from the bloody scene. Stepping up to the ballroom doors, Joker gripped Harleen's arm tighter and whispered. "Now doc, we're going to have to go down all those stairs. You can either take the heels off now, let them snap your ankles on the way down or my boy here can carry you down." He gestured to one of the men standing next to them. He was tall and fairly muscular, probably the strongest out of the group.

Harleen thought over her options. She looked at Joker who had a shit-eating grin on his face. He probably expected her to say she'd keep the shoes on, he'd drag her so hard down the stairs that she would trip and break her ankle. She hated that he was right.

"He can carry me."

The Joker gave a surprised laugh. One she'd never heard before. Harleen was glad she had caught him off guard. "You heard her!" But she was slightly regretting her choice as the henchmen grabbed her, slunging her over his shoulder like a fucking sack.

"Quinzel—Joker let her go!" Carolina suddenly shouted. Harleen looked up to see the woman staring at them with an intense look in her eyes. The Joker smiled back at her.

"See you later, Princess." He waved. "Hope the ole' man croaks. Let's go boys!" The men around the room relinquished their positions around the room, following the Joker out the double doors and down the stairs. It was incredibly humiliating, but at least she still had her shoes.


End file.
